zs% 


jMiJ^i-j^ji-ifSi 


THE  FETTERS   OF  FREEDOM 


"I  am  no  man's  plaything!"  burst  out  Gwenna,  her 
fiery  temper  ablaze         (page  192) 


THE 
FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 


AUTHOR    OF 

'The  Island  of  Regeneration,"  "The  Chalice 
of  Courage,"  "The  West  Wind,"  etc. 


With  Illustrations  by  The  Kinneys 


SYNDICATE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK.  LONDON 


COPYRIGHT,  1912,  1913,  BT 
30DD,  MEAD  AND  COMPANY 

Published,  March,  1913 


TO 

THE  IMMORTAL  MEMORY 
OF 


OP  ALL,  WHO  HAVE  BEEN  BORN 
OF  MAN  AND  WOMAN 


PREFACE 

As  everybody  knows  who  is  familiar  with  the  making  of 
my  many  books,  but  one  out  of  the  number  I  have 
written  is  without  a  preface.  Like  everybody  addicted 
to  the  preface  habit  I  have  been  accustomed  to  write 
the  preface  after  everything  else  has  been  completed. 
This  time  I  reverse  the  practice.  Gentle  reader,  not 
one  word  of  the  story  has  as  yet  been  put  on  paper! 
I  am  resolved  to  be  honest  in  at  least  one  book,  and  my 
preface  shall  be  not  only  the  thing  that  goes  before, 
but  the  thing  that  is  before ;  hence  this  beginning. 

When  a  man  creates  a  certain  number  of  subjects 
in  the  kingdom  of  his  imagination,  when  he  endows  them 
with  temper  and  temperament,  when  they  are  imbued 
with  personality,  which  manifests  itself  in  character  and 
is  set  forth  in  characteristics,  and  finally  when  he  sets 
them  upon  the  stage  of  his  world  of  romance,  he  cannot 
always  be  quite  sure  where  they  will  go,  what  they  will 
do,  what  they  will  say,  and  what  will  happen  to  them. 
It  is  harder  sometimes  to  control  the  child  of  the  imagi- 
nation than  it  is  to  direct  the  real  boy  or  girl.  I  have 
had  much  experience  with  both  kinds  of  children  and 
I  speak  with  authority !  Yet  it  is  an  imprudent  parent 
that  does  not  lay  some  plans  for  his  offspring  in  the 
beginning,  therefore  I  have  certain  designs  for  my 
people,  young  and  old. 

Long,  long  study  and  heartfelt  and  boundless  ad- 
miration have  made  me  thoroughly  familiar  with  Paulus, 

vii 


Tiii  PREFACE 

the  Roman  citizen  of  Tarsus.  I  do  not  possess  him,  he 
possesses  me.  He  will  do  what  a  man  of  his  temper 
and  temperament  must  do,  which  indeed  he  did.  I  am 
not  quite  so  sure  of  Roman  Attilius,  the  patrician  pre- 
torian,  and  I  am  even  less  sure  of  British  Gwenna,  a 
lady  as  I  see  her  of  somewhat  uncertain  temper  and  of 
great  spirit,  as  might  be  expected  from  the  glint  of  red 
in  her  golden  hair. 

I  have  pictured  in  my  mind's  eye  these  people  on  the 
sea,  in  the  great  Roman  city,  and  on  the  sea  again; 
Paulus  on  the  ship,  on  the  island  of  Malta,  and  in  "  his 
own  hired  house  "  convenient  for  that  pretorian  super- 
vision to  which  he  was  subjected  for  two  long,  weary 
but  useful  years ;  I  have  seen  Attilius  also  on  the  ship 
and  in  his  magnificent  palace  on  Aventine  Hill ;  while 
Gwenna  has  appeared  to  me  in  the  slave  market,  in  the 
domus  of  Attilius,  in  the  lodging  of  Paulus ;  and  all 
these  at  the  court  of  Nero  and  finally  on  the  ship  at  last. 

So  much  for  the  positive.  For  the  negative,  here- 
after I  promise  you  shall  follow  no  extended  description 
of  Roman  life  or  manners.  That  subject  has  been  done 
and  done  so  well  of  late  in  the  works  of  Tucker,  Dill, 
Friedlander,  Fowler,  and  many  others — to  say  nothing 
of  the  historians,  satirists,  and  poets  of  Rome  itself— 
that  it  does  not  seem  worth  while  for  me  to  try  to  do 
it  over  again.  I  have  no  desire  to  instruct  anybody. 
I  have  no  ambition  to  show  what  I  know.  Although  I 
have  read  largely  and  studied  long  in  these  fields  it  is 
not  my  intention  to  try  to  emulate  the  meticulous  Farrar 
in  historical  knowledge x  or  the  fascinating  Davis  in 
l" Darkness  and  Dawn." 


PREFACE  ix 

minute  and  careful  erudition  1  or  the  great  Sienkiewicz 
in  graphic  and  realistic  description,2  to  say  nothing  of 
"  Ben  Hur,"  or  "  The  Sign  of  the  Cross,"  or  all  the 
other  books  of  the  kind.  I  pledge  you  my  word,  so 
far  as  a  poor  author  can,  that  I  intend  to  keep  my 
people  out  of  the  Circus  Maximus,  for  instance.  It  is 
not  my  plan  to  describe  any  revelry  in  the  "  Transitory 
House  "  of  Nero.  "  Christians  to  the  lions!  "  shall  not 
be  heard  in  my  pages.  I  delineate  no  wild  orgies,  no 
rulgar  and  licentious  revels  of  the  Caesar  and  his  de- 
generate friends.  Yet  Nero  and  Tigellinus  both  have 
parts  to  play  and  both  exercise  their  baleful  influence 
over  the  fortunes  of  Attilius  and  Gwenna.  Paulus  will 
preach  his  gospel,  and  the  religion  of  his  Christ  will 
be  set  forth  in  opposition  to  heathenism  just  as  de- 
cisively, and  the  results  will  be  seen  just  as  clearly  as 
if  the  sanded  arena  were  wet  with  the  blood  of  the  slain. 
So  much  by  way  of  introduction.  The  preface  goes 
to  the  printer  to-day.  Let  us  see  whether  I  can  keep 
to  my  text,  as  an  author  should  as  well  as  a  preacher, 
in  what  follows,  which  finally  I  assure  you  is  not  sermon 
but  story. 

CYRUS  TOWNSEND  BRADY. 

ST.  GEORGE'S  PARISH  HOUSE, 

KANSAS  CITY,  MISSOURI. 

May,  1912. 

1 "  A  Friend  of  Caesar. "  »  "  Quo  Vadis  ?  " 


CONTENTS 

BOOK  I 
IN  THE  SEA  OF  ADRIA 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I  THE  EMPEROR'S  TREASURE       ...  3 

II  THE  SHREWD  BLOW  OP  THE  TRIBUNE   .  19 

III  THE  CORN  SHIP  OF  ALEXANDRIA     .        .  35 

IV  THE  PRISONER  IN  COMMAND   ...  50 
V  THE  SIGN  AND  THE  BLESSING        .        .  66 

BOOK  II 
MASTER  AND  SLAVE 

VI  THE  BLOCK  OF  PHRYX     ....  79 

VII  IN  THE  DOMUS  OF  ATTILIUS   ...  97 

VIII  THE  MESSAGE  FROM  CESAR      .         .        .  109 

IX  NERO  AND  His  SONG        ....  121 

X  THE  TRIBUNE  GOES  UPON  A  JOURNEY  .  140 

BOOK  III 
THE  DISPLEASURE  OF  THE  EMPEROR 

XI     THE  MAIDEN  Is  LOST      ....      155 
XII     THE  GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE  .        .168 

XIII     THE  TRIBUNE  DEALS  WITH  Two  WOMEN     186 

xi 


Xll 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTBE 

XIV 
XV 

XVI 
XVII 

XVIII 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PROMISE   . 
THE  TRIBUNE  SEEKS  RELEASE   . 
THE  DRUNKEN  GOD  AND  THE  SLAVE  . 
THE    CRAFT   OF   THE   VETERAN   CEN- 
TURION         

THE  DEGRADATION  OF  THE  TRIBUNE  . 


PA6B 

201 
214 
229 

243 
256 


XIX  LOLLIA  CLAUDIA  SPEAKETH  HER  MIND     269 

XX  THE  STROKE  AND  THE  SPURNING  .         .      288 

XXI  MOCKED  IN  THE  GARDEN     .         .         .      301 

XXII  HUSKS  OF  THE  SWINE  .        .        .        .311 

XXIII  THE  LETTER  TO  PHILIPPI    .        .        .321 

XXIV  BREAKING  THE  BREAD  .  337 


BOOK  V 
THE  APPEAL  UNTO  CfiSAR 

XXV     How  PAULUS  SPOKE  FOR  HIMSELF 
XXVI     THE  INTERPOSITION  OF  GOD  . 
XXVII     CAIUS  ET  CAIA— VALE  . 


353 
369 
387 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

"  I  am  no  man's  plaything !  "  burst 
out  Gwenna,  her  fiery  temper 
ablaze  .  .  .  (page  192)  Frontispiece 

"  I  have  reserved  her  for  the  last. 
It  is  a  maid  from  wave-washed 
Britain  " Facing  page  86 

"  T-thou  shalt  p-pay  for  this  insult," 

he  hissed  out        ....**         "     240 

"  That     divinity     that     thou     hast 

claimed,  oh  Nero "        .        .        .         "         "     382 


BOOK  I 
IN  THE  SEA  OF  ADRIA 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  EMPEROR'S  TREASURE 
< 

THERE  was  no  doubt  that  Caius  Attilius,  the  young  mil- 
itary tribune,  was  a  very  ill  man, — perhaps  had  been 
would  be  the  better  tense  of  the  verb,  for  it  appeared 
to  his  officers  and  to  the  shipmaster,  men  of  long  and 
varied  experience  of  a  rough-and-ready  sort,  although 
none  of  them  was  a  professional  physician,  that  the  crisis 
of  the  disease  had  passed  and  that  the  grip  of  the  fever 
had  been  broken. 

Regulus,  the  primipilus,  or  first  centurion  of  the 
legion,  with  two  of  his  brother  captains,  stood  over  their 
tribune  where  he  lay  asleep  in  the  after  cabin,  and 
thoughtfully  and  compassionately  noted  the  ravages  of 
the  fever.  They  were  not  much  given  to  pity,  these 
Romans,  but  the  old  veteran  was  deeply  attached  to 
the  young  patrician.  He  and  the  tribune  had  been 
associated  a  long  time  in  the  Fourteenth  Legion  and 
in  many  of  the  hard-fought  battles  with  the  wild  Ethio- 
pians and  Abyssinians  of  the  southern  Egyptian  fron- 
tier they  had  stood  side  by  side.  Indeed,  Regulus  had 
taught  the  youth  the  art  of  war,  and  this  veteran 
centurion  was  by  no  means  an  indifferent  teacher. 
There  was  no  more  renowned  soldier  of  his  rank  in 
Caesar's  thirty-odd  legions.  He  laid  his  horny,  knotted 
hand  lightly  on  the  brow  of  the  sleeper  and  discovered 
with  satisfaction  that  the  burning  heat  of  the  African 

3 


4.  THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

fever,  which  had  gripped  him  so  long  and  so  fiercely, 
and  because  of  which  he  had  been  invalided  home,  had 
at  last  left  him.  The  forehead  of  the  patient  was  even 
cool. 

It  was  late  in  the  season,  verging  upon  winter  indeed, 
and  Regulus,  after  a  moment's  pause,  drew  a  light  cov- 
ering of  wool  over  the  linen  sheet  which  was  thrown 
over  the  young  man.  Caius  Attilius,  a  patrician  and 
of  senatorial  rank,  owned  an  immense  number  of  slaves 
who,  after  the  custom  of  Rome,  were  always  ready  and 
available  for  every  conceivable  bodily  service,  but  the 
ship  was  already  overloaded  and  the  few  slaves  who 
had  attended  him  in  the  army  had  been  left  behind  to 
take  passage  on  other  ships  later.  The  soldiers  of  the 
legion,  who  were  fellow-passengers  with  the  tribune,  had 
vied  with  each  other  in  loving  service  to  their  officer, 
for  there  was  no  more  popular  man  in  the  legion,  and 
indeed  in  the  army  of  Egypt,  than  Caius  Attilius. 
These  veterans,  who  were  going  home  with  their  dis- 
charge papers  after  many  years  of  honourable  service, 
jealously  compassed  their  young  leader  with  sweet  ob- 
servances cheerfully  rendered  by  themselves. 

There  was  something  grotesque,  yet  infinitely  touch- 
ing in  the  attempts  they  made  to  be  gentle,  to  be  tender. 
It  was  a  great  tribute  to  the  character  and  personality 
of  Caius  Attilius,  and  it  would  have  pleased  him  greatly 
if  he  had  perceived  it.  He  had  known  nothing  about 
it,  of  course;  he  had  been  too  ill. 

He  had  been  stricken  in  the  far  south  with  the 
dreaded  African,  or  jungle,  fever  and  had  lost  conscious- 
ness early  in  the  hasty  voyage  down  the  ancient  river 


THE  EMPEROR'S  TREASURE  5 

Nile.  He  knew  nothing  of  the  efforts  made  by  the 
skilled  leeches  and  physicians  of  Alexandria  to  effect 
his  cure.  He  did  not  know  that  the  prastor,  the  Em- 
peror's legate,  who  governed  the  province,  had  at  last 
determined  that  his  only  chance  would  be  at  home  in 
Rome.  The  Greek-Alexandrian  physicians  had  con- 
curred in  this  view  and  had  also  pointed  out  that  the 
sea  voyage  might  do  him  good.  Hence  his  position  that 
morning  in  the  after  cabin  of  the  I  sis. 

The  hopes  of  the  Emperor's  legate  and  the  prognos- 
tications of  the  clever  Egyptian  practitioners  had  been 
abundantly  justified.  Although  scarcely  a  week  had 
elapsed  since  the  great  Pharos  at  the  mouth  of  the 
harbour  had  sunk  beneath  the  horizon,  the  fever  was 
already  broken,  Caius  Attilius  was  in  the  first  sound 
sleep  he  had  enjoyed  for  many  days,  and  all  was  well. 
If  no  setback  occurred  his  recovery  was  assured.  In 
the  mind  of  Regulus  and  the  other  centurions  of  the 
legion,  the  voyage  was  a  success. 

The  Isis  was  one  of  the  largest  and  best  equipped  of 
the  huge  imperial  freight  and  passenger  boats  which 
plied  between  Alexandria  and  Italy.  The  navigation 
season  for  the  year  was  practically  over,  but  in  an 
emergency  ships  did  not  hesitate  to  venture  upon  the 
passage  at  any  time.  Not  only  was  the  Isis  carrying 
Caius  Attilius,  the  young  tribune  and  friend  of  Csesar, 
but  in  place  of  her  usual  lading  of  corn  she  was  also 
transporting  a  huge  cargo  of  the  richest,  rarest,  and 
most  costly  products  of-  Egypt,  destined  for  the  im- 
perial treasury.  Included  in  her  lading  was  a  report 
from  the  quaestor  of  the  province  accompanying  a  vast 


6  THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

treasure  of  gold  and  silver — the  yearly  tribute — and  a 
small  parcel  of  jewels  of  great  price  designed  for  the 
personal  use  of  the  Emperor  and  the  Augusta,  his  wife. 

In  addition  to  the  ordinary  crew  of  the  ship  there 
were  on  board  some  two  hundred  men  of  the  Fourteenth 
Legion  with  the  primipilus  and  two  other  veteran  cen- 
turions, whose  time  of  service  had  expired,  who  had 
reached  the  age  of  retirement,  and  were  returning  to 
Italy  to  receive  such  rewards  as  were  usually  heaped 
upon  veteran  soldiers.  They  had  not  been  established 
in  one  of  the  colonies  of  the  Emperor  with  grants  of 
land  because  the  Fourteenth  Legion  had  been  raised  and 
constantly  recruited  in  Italy  itself;  these  men  were 
Romans  and  would  live  nowhere  but  in  the  City  of  the 
Seven  Hills.  Caius  Attilius  was,  of  course,  theoretically 
in  command  of  them,  but  in  his  disability  the  charge 
had  devolved  upon  Regulus. 

The  voyage  had  been  a  rather  tempestuous  one.  The 
I  sis  had  become  severely  strained  in  a  series  of  half 
gales  which  she  had  encountered.  She  had  been  forced 
by  the  storm  to  run  into  Fair  Havens,  a  harbour  near 
Lasea  on  the  south  side  of  the  island  of  Crete.  Upon 
their  arrival  there  if  another  ship  had  offered  Regulus 
would  have  taken  the  liberty  of  trans-shipping  the  cargo 
because  of  the  leaky  condition  of  the  I  sis,  but  there  was 
no  ship  available  in  the  harbour  save  another  huge, 
lumbering  trader,  the  Osiris,  also  of  Alexandria,  which 
had  just  arrived  from  Myra  on  the  coast  of  Asia  Minor, 
and  which,  in  addition  to  an  immense  cargo  of  wheat, 
was  carrying  a  large  number  of  prisoners  of  various 
sorts  from  Syria  to  Rome  for  trial.  These  she  had 


THE  EMPEROR'S  TREASURE  7 

picked  up  from  a  coaster  at  Myra,  a  Lycian  port  to 
which  the  Osiris  had  been  driven  by  heavy  weather. 
This  ship  was  not  in  much  better  condition  than  the 
Isis,  Regulus  found  after  consulting  with  the  centurion 
who  had  it  in  charge,  an  old  friend  of  his,  whose  name 
was  Julius. 

It  was  important  that  the  cargo  of  the  Isis  should 
reach  Rome,  that  the  jewels  should  be  delivered,  and 
that  young  Caius  Attilius  should  be  landed  as  soon  as 
possible;  therefore  Regulus,  although  the  Isis  was  in  a 
measure  unseaworthy,  determined  to  proceed  in  her, 
rather  than  winter  at  Crete.  Before  he  left  the  har- 
bour, which  was  scarcely  more  than  an  open  roadstead 
by  the  way,  he  caused  the  treasure  and  some  of  the 
least  bulky  and  most  precious  merchandise  to  be  landed 
at  Crete  and  turned  over  to  the  proconsular  officers 
in  Lasea,  to  be  held  for  a  safer  ship  and  a  more  favour- 
able time  for  transportation  to  Rome.  This  was  done 
secretly  and  at  night  because  the  virtue  of  the  inhab- 
itants of  Crete  was  not  above  suspicion  and  the  storing 
of  so  great  a  treasure  in  the  city  might  have  excited 
the  cupidity  of  the  islanders  and  made  it  a  mat- 
ter of  some  difficulty  for  the  scanty  garrison  to  pro- 
tect it. 

Regulus  was  in  some  doubt  as  to  the  landing  of  the 
jewels,  but  concluded,  since  they  were  not  of  great  bulk, 
that  he  could  put  them  in  a  bag  and  attach  it  to  his 
person,  where  they  would  be  safe  enough  in  case  of 
accident.  He  had  faced  and  had  surmounted  every 
conceivable  danger  that  could  menace  a  soldier  during 
his  long  life,  and  he  had  an  auspicious  confidence  in  his 


8  THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

own  good  fortune.  If  the  ship  sank  he  at  least  would 
be  saved. 

When  all  had  been  done  in  accordance  with  his  views, 
the  Isis  weighed  anchor  and  spread  sail  before  a  strong 
but  favourable  breeze  that  blew  from  the  eastward,  leav- 
ing the  Osiris,  the  sister  ship,  about  ready  to  weigh 
and  follow.  Two  days  after  her  departure  she  had, 
in  the  opinion  of  Agacles,  the  old  shipmaster,  gained 
sufficient  westing  to  enable  him  to  lay  his  course  to  the 
northward  through  the  Sea  of  Adria  to  the  port  of 
Brundisium,  which,  as  it  was  nearer  than  Puteoli  on 
the  west  coast,  the  port  the  ship  usually  made,  seemed 
the  more  desirable  haven  under  the  circumstances.  The 
wind,  shifting  to  the  southward,  was  still  fair  for  the 
run  northward,  and  although  it  was  increasing  in  force, 
Agacles  concluded  that  the  ship  would  bear  her  canvas, 
except  the  little  topsail  which  was  often  hoisted  above 
the  great  mainsail  upon  the  single  mast  amidships.  The 
smaller  sail  being  furled  and  the  upper  yard  struck,  the 
Isis  plunged  through  the  rolling  seas  under  the  grey 
sky  on  her  final  run  of  perhaps  four  hundred  miles 
toward  safety  and  the  haven. 

It  was  noticed  that  the  leak  which  had  threatened 
ere  they  reached  Crete  had  become  actual  after  they 
passed  Clauda,  and  that  the  ship  was  taking  in  water 
at  a  continually  increasing  rate.  Efforts  to  get  at  the 
leak  had  proved  futile,  but  the  water  was  not  coming 
in  fast  enough  to  give  them  any  great  amount  of  un- 
easiness at  present.  Later  it  might  become  necessary 
to  resort  to  pumps  and  buckets  to  get  rid  of  the  water, 
but  there  was  no  great  need  for  anxiety  yet. 


THE  EMPEROR'S  TREASURE  9 

In  fact  the  thought  of  the  leak  was  lost  in  a  more 
obvious  and  threatening  danger  which  had  developed 
that  morning.  It  was  to  consult  about  that  danger  that 
Regulus  and  the  others  were  summoned  from  the  cabin 
of  Attilius  to  the  deck  of  the  ship  by  one  of  the  seamen, 
there  to  confer  with  the  shipmaster.  Since  the  tribune 
slept  so  soundly,  Regulus  concluded  that  to  send 
watchers  into  the  cabin  would  but  disturb  him.  Indeed, 
since  no  harm  could  possibly  come  to  him  he  would 
best  be  left  alone.  He  carefully  closed  the  door  behind 
him  and  went  out  on  deck  with  the  other  two. 

The  sleep  of  Attilius  was  indeed  calm  and  peaceful. 
A  long  time  he  lay  still  in  the  comparative  quiet  of 
the  cabin;  his  ears  had  long  since  become  accustomed 
to  the  creaking  and  groaning  of  the  timbers,  as  well 
as  his  body  to  the  rolling  and  pitching  of  the  huge, 
unwieldly,  heavily  loaded  ship.  Presently,  however,  his 
eyes  unclosed  and  he  stared  uncertainly  and  uncom- 
prehendingly  about  him.  When  the  fever  had  left  him 
the  night  before  and  ere  he  slept  again,  he  had  asked 
questions  enough  to  put  himself  in  possession  of  most 
of  the  facts  of  the  situation.  He  knew  at  last  that  he 
had  been  stricken  in  the  desert,  that  he  had  been  brought 
down  the  Nile  and  placed  on  the  ship  at  Alexandria, 
and  was  now  homeward  bound,  but  his  mind  was  natu- 
rally not  yet  clear  and  alert,  and  it  took  him  some  time 
on  his  awaking  to  reconstruct  the  story  that  had 
been  told  him  and  to  appreciate  the  situation  once 
more. 

From  the  berth  in  which  he  lay,  which  was  built 
across  the  cabin,  athwartships  that  is,  he  had  a  plain 


10     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

view  of  the  sea  for  a  long  distance  through  the  windows 
of  the  after  cabin,  which  overhung  the  stern.  As  he 
lay  idly  staring  a  triple-banked  ship,  swiftly  propelled 
by  oars,  suddenly  flashed  across  his  vision,  although  she 
was  yet  a  long  way  off.  Her  purple  mainsail  was  set, 
and  under  the  impetus  of  wood  and  canvas  she  was 
going  at  a  great  pace.  The  sight  was  sufficiently  un- 
usual and  remarkable  to  have  aroused  the  closer  atten- 
tion of  Attilius  in  an  instant  had  he  been  in  his  normal 
condition.  As  it  was  he  only  speculated  with  an  idle, 
weak  curiosity  as  to  what  the  ship  might  be  and  what 
she  might  be  doing  there  and  what  was  the  impelling 
motive  for  the  furious  haste  with  which  she  was  driving 
through  the  seas.  The  problem  was  too  great  for  his 
weakened  condition,  and  though  for  a  while  he  feebly 
pondered  it,  he  finally  dismissed  it  as  the  strange  tri- 
reme drew  out  of  his  range  of  vision. 

His  eyes  wandered  around  the  cabin,  which  was  bare 
of  furniture  save  for  a  table,  chair,  and  his  sleeping 
berth,  until  they  fell  upon  his  armour  piled  up  upon 
a  transom.  From  a  hook  above  it  and  near  where  he 
lay  hung  his  short  Roman  sword.  Two  or  three  pila, 
or  short  Roman  spears,  leaned  in  the  same  corner. 

Attilius  was  a  soldier  who  loved  his  profession.  His 
eyes  lighted  a  little  and  a  faint  colour  came  into  his 
pale  cheeks  as  his  glance  lingered  on  these  military 
trappings.  By  stretching  out  his  hand  he  found  he 
could  touch  his  sword.  He  languidly  made  the  motion, 
and  his  fingers  caressed  with  satisfaction  the  chased 
scabbard  which  contained  the  short  blade.  That  weapon 
had  served  him  well  in  many  a  campaign.  Little  flashes 


THE  EMPEROR'S  TREASURE      11 

of  reminiscence  came  over  him,  in  the  midst  of  which 
he  presently  fell  contentedly  asleep  again. 

Out  on  the  deck  Regulus  and  Agacles  with  the 
other  centurions  had  at  once  engaged  in  an  interested 
debate.  The  same  ship  which  Attilius  saw  later  was 
visible  to  them  on  the  eastern  horizon.  A  short  distance 
from  it  they  also  saw  a  sister  ship,  and  the  two  were 
making  straight  for  the  Isis. 

Now  Pompeius  with  his  great  fleet  many  years  be- 
fore had  cleared  the  Mediterranean  of  the  numerous 
squadrons  of  pirate  ships  which  had  made  navigation 
so  hazardous.  The  subsequent  Caesars  had  maintained 
a  navy  for  the  sole  purpose  of  keeping  down  these 
ferocious  and  pestilent  marauders,  and  piracy,  once 
an  easy  and  not  very  hazardous  method  of  making  a 
living,  had  become  a  most  dangerous  trade.  When  they 
were  captured  and  convicted  the  punishment  that  was 
visited  upon  pirates  was  of  the  severest  description — 
crucifixion.  It  was  nevertheless  impossible  to  stamp 
out  piracy  completely,  and  ever  and  anon  some  ship 
sailed  away  from  some  harbour  and  failed  to  reach  its 
destination.  Sometimes  its  fate  was  due  to  the  storms 
and  perils  of  the  sea,  sometimes,  if  there  had  been  a 
survivor,  tales  of  rapine,  bloodshed,  frightful  outrage, 
and  murder  could  have  been  told. 

Certain  pirates  of  Cilicia  had  heard  at  Tarsus  of 
the  projected  despatch  of  the  treasure  ship  from  Alex- 
andria. They  had  stationed  themselves  off  the  north 
coast  of  Crete  expecting,  when  the  time  of  their  calcula- 
tions had  arrived,  to  fall  on  the  ship  in  the  Sea  of 
Adria.  Fortune  had  favoured  them,  for  when  the  Isis 


12     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

had  put  into  Fair  Havens  some  of  their  crew  were 
in  the  city  of  Lasea.  The  pirate  ships  had  touched 
on  the  north  coast  for  water  and  provisions,  and  these 
men  strayed  over  to  Lasea,  where  they  had  remained 
until  the  Isis  sailed.  Then  they  had  made  haste  to  re- 
cross  the  island  and  give  the  news  to  their  commander. 
The  men  of  these  galleys  were  expert  at  their  trade 
and  knew  all  the  tricks  thereof;  they  were  seamen 
of  the  first  quality,  too,  and  they  were  thus  able  to 
locate  the  Isis  with  almost  wizardlike  accuracy.  Three 
days  from  Fair  Havens  they  saw  her,  hull-down  before 
them,  on  the  western  horizon.  They  made  all  speed 
to  close  with  her. 

The  pirate  galleys  were  of  different  build  from  the 
bluff-bowed  merchant  ship,  whose  best  speed  under  sail 
was  perhaps  five  knots  an  hour.  These  plundering 
triremes  could  make  that  speed  under  sail  without  diffi- 
culty, and  when  the  triple-banked  oars  were  used  they 
could  go  half  again  as  fast.  The  oarsmen  were  usually 
galley-slaves,  but  in  the  case  of  these  two  pirate  ships 
the  men  of  the  band  themselves  did  the  rowing  until 
the  ships  closed  with  their  quarry ;  after  which,  aban- 
doning their  oars,  each  seized  his  weapons  and  became 
a  fighting  man.  The  triremes  of  the  pirates  were, 
compared  to  the  Isis,  of  smaller  size,  and  if  the  oarsmen 
had  been  slaves  they  could  not  have  carried  enough 
fighting  men  to  have  overcome  their  prey  in  case  of 
much  resistance. 

Two  hundred  and  fifty  fighting  men  could  be  crowded 
into  a  galley  in  this  way.  Although  they  lacked  drill, 
discipline,  and  organisation,  they  had  courage,  ferocity, 


THE  EMPEROR'S  TREASURE  13 

ruthless  brutality,  and  long  experience  in  battle,  and 
they  were  consequently  a  formidable  body  of  men. 
They  were  recruited  from  all  the  nations  that  bordered 
the  Mediterranean,  including  many  Greeks,  some  rene- 
gade Italians,  men  of  Little  Asia  and  of  the  Orient, 
some  from  Syria,  and  even  a  few  masterless  and  outcast 
Jews. 

Their  plans  were  quite  simple.  They  would  run  the 
I  sis  aboard,  one  to  the  starboard  and  one  to  the  port, 
fling  a  mass  of  men  upon  her  decks,  master  the  ship, 
murder  the  crew  and  passengers,  relieve  her  of  such 
of  her  cargo  as  was  of  value  to  them,  scuttle  or  burn 
her,  and  go  on  their  way  rejoicing. 

Their  information,  however,  was  faulty  in  several 
particulars.  They  had  not  learned,  for  instance,  that 
the  more  precious  part  of  her  lading,  the  gold  and  the 
silver,  had  been  landed  at  Crete ;  neither  had  they  been 
informed  that  the  Isis  carried  a  detachment  of  Roman 
soldiers.  These  had  been  embarked  at  the  last  minute 
with  Attilius,  after  the  informant  of  the  rovers  had 
sailed  away  from  Alexandria  to  meet  them  at  Paphos 
in  Cyprus.  They  would  not  have  raced  down  upon  the 
great  merchantman  with  such  confidence  and  zeal  had 
they  known  of  the  legionaries  aboard  her. 

"  Worthy  centurion,"  began  the  shipmaster,  "  what 
thinkest  thou  of  those  ships  yonder?  " 

Regulus  turned  his  head  and  shaded  his  brows  the 
better  to  see.  Glasses,  or  telescopes,  were  of  course 
unknown  in  those  days,  but  the  eye  of  the  Roman  was 
trained  to  take  in  much  more  than  the  unaided  vision 
would  be  apt  to  discover  to-day. 


14     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  If  I  know  anything  about  them,  they  are  ships  of 
war,  Master  Agacles,"  answered  the  chief  centurion 
after  a  long  look. 

"  Aye,  but  not  imperial  galleys  despite  their  purple 
canvas." 

"  It  doth  not  seem  so  to  me,"  added  Regulus. 

"What  thinkest  thou  of  them,  under-pilot?"  con- 
tinued Agacles,  turning  to  the  steersman. 

The  pilot  who  stood  aft  by  the  huge  oar  thrust  out 
of  its  port,  attending  to  the  steerage  of  the  ship, 
turned  and  surveyed  the  two  ships  drawing  rapidly 
nearer. 

"  Pirates,  by  Neptune ! "  he  cried,  "  if  I  know  the 
breed." 

Regulus  nodded. 

"  Salvus,"  he  said  to  a  brother  centurion  who  stood 
with  the  little  group,  "  send  Balbo  to  me  at  once." 

The  centurion  saluted,  turned,  and  the  call  for  Balbo 
went  echoing  through  the  ship.  In  a  moment  a  bronzed, 
weather-beaten,  bowlegged  legionary  came  rolling 
aft. 

"  Balbo,  thou  hast  been  a  sailor  on  Caesar's  ships,  a 
pilot,  if  I  mistake  not " 

"  Aye,  sir,"  was  the  answer,  "  that  I  have." 

"  Good.     What  thinkest  thou  of  yonder  pair?" 

Balbo  stepped  to  the  extreme  after  part  of  the  ship, 
shaded  his  eyes  with  his  hand,  and  stared. 

"  Ships  of  war,"  he  muttered,  "  but  not  those  of 
Caesar,  whom  the  gods  preserve.  Cilicians,  I  take  it, 
worthy  centurion,"  he  added,  turning.  "  To  thee, 
Master  Agacles,  my  advice  is,  do  thou  put  the  ship 


v  THE  EMPEROR'S  TREASURE  15 

in  position  of  defence  without  delay.  These  be  sea 
wolves  who  have  somehow  escaped  the  Emperor's  fleet, 
and  will  be  upon  us  " — he  looked  over  the  side  and  then 
aft  again,  appearing  to  calculate  in  his  mind  the  rate 
of  sailing — "  within  an  hour." 

"The  advice  is  good,"  interposed  Regulus.  He 
looked  at  the  shipmaster.  "  What  dost  thou  propose?  " 
he  asked. 

"  My  business  is  to  sail  the  ship,"  said  Agacles,  "  and 
thine  to  defend  her." 

"  And  couldst  thou  sail  away  from  them?  " 

"  By  no  means.  There  is  presage  of  storm  in  the 
air."  He  turned  his  head  up  in  the  direction  of  the 
wind  and  sniffed  the  breeze.  "  The  wind  is  scarcely  as 
strong  as  it  was  when  day  dawned,  and  oftentimes  there 
is  a  previous  calm  for  an  hour  or  two  before  the  storm 
breaks  upon  us.  Is  that  not  thine  experience,  chief- 
pilot?  " 

"  My  judgment  agrees  with  thine,"  said  Ramses,  an 
Egyptian  who  occupied  that  important  position  on  the 
ship  and  who  had  just  come  aft  from  his  cabin  where  he 
had  been  off  watch. 

"  If  the  wind  fall,"  said  Regulus  thoughtfully,  "  have 
we  not  oars " 

"  A  few,"  answered  Agacles,  "  but  if  we  took  the 
men  to  man  them  we  should  be  more  helpless  than  we 
are  and  our  speed  would  be  as  nothing  in  respect  to 
theirs." 

"  Then  we  must  meet  their  attack.     Salvus  !  " 

"  Sir." 

"  Take  thou  seventy-five  of  the  men  of  the  legion  and 


16     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

occupy  the  fore  part  of  the  ship.  I,  with  Paetus,  will 
command  the  aft  part  with  seventy-five  more.  As  to 
the  remainder " 

"  Give  me  leave,  most  noble  centurion,"  interrupted 
Agacles,  "  I  am  not  a  fighting  man,  but  the  ship  is 
mine  and  all  my  fortune  is  embarked  in  her.  May  not  I, 
too,  be  of  service  under  thy  direction?  I  have  wielded 
the  sword  and  lance  in  Thrace  and  Bithynia 

"  Good.  Thou  and  thy  men  shall  keep  the  waist 
with  Balbo  and  the  remaining  legionaries  to  assist 
thee." 

"And  how  about  the  tribune?"  interposed  Paetus, 
the  third  centurion. 

"  We  will  leave  the  noble  Attilius  to  his  needed  rest, 
I  think,"  continued  Regulus,  looking  upon  the  men 
who  crowded  the  decks  and  who  had  heard  all.  "  I 
and  my  brave  comrades  of  the  Fourteenth  Legion  can 
hold  the  ship  without  disturbing  a  sick  man  who  can 
scarcely  raise  his  head." 

"  We  will  protect  the  noble  Attilius  and  the  ship 
with  our  lives,"  burst  from  the  men. 

"  Good,"  said  Regulus.  "  Now  put  on  your  armour, 
lay  aside  your  baggage,  and  repair  to  your  stations. 
Conceal  yourselves  in  the  fore  cabin  or  by  lying  on  the 
floor  of  the  deck  close  under  the  bulwarks.  Let  no 
light  upon  a  spear  point  or  gle'am  upon  a  helmet  be- 
tray us.  And  do  thou,  Master  Agacles,  keep  thine  even 
course  and  we  shall  see  how  yonder  pirates  will  like  the 
welcome  prepared  for  them  by  the  men  of  the  Thunder- 
ing Legion." 

So  the  Fourteenth  Legion  was  named,  its  device  being 


THE  EMPEROR'S  TREASURE  17 

a  thunderbolt,  or  lightning  flash,  darting  through  a 
mass  of  clouds.  Great  Jupiter  himself  was  its  patron 
deity. 

There  ensued  a  few  moments  of  hasty  yet  orderly 
preparation  while  the  men  buckled  on  their  armour, 
donned  their  helmets,  slung  their  short  swords  over 
their  shoulders,  slipped  their  left  arms  through  their 
shield-holds,  and  looked  to  the  heavy  spears  and  javelins 
which  formed  part  of  their  war  gear.  As  fast  as  they 
were  equipped  they  were  mustered,  divided  into  three 
groups  of  seventy-five  under  Salvus,  seventy-five  under 
Pastus,  and  the  remainder  under  old  Balbo.  The  group 
forward  concealed  itself  in  the  forecastle,  or  seamen's 
cabin,  those  amidships  lay  down  upon  the  deck  behind 
the  low  bulwarks,  those  aft  filled  the  after  castle,  every 
space,  indeed,  except  the  cabin  in  which  the  sleeping 
tribune  lay.  And  it  was  amusing  to  note  how  softly 
and  with  what  little  jingling  of  armour  the  rude  legion- 
aries moved  into  the  greater  outer  cabin  so  as  not  to 
disturb  the  life-giving,  refreshing  sleep  of  their  young 
leader.  The  sailors  and  men  of  the  ship,  mainly  from 
Alexandria,  armed  themselves  with  bows,  slings,  spears, 
swords,  and  shields,  and  made  ready  to  contribute  what 
they  could  to  the  defence. 

Regulus,  Agacles,  the  shipmaster,  and  Ramses  the 
chief-pilot  aft,  with  a  few  of  the  seamen  forward, 
such  as  might  naturally  be  visible  on  such  a  ship 
under  such  circumstances,  were  alone  to  be  seen  on  the 
decks  as  the  Isis  drove  slowly  on  before  the  failing 
breeze. 

It  was  evident  to  the  more  experienced  of  those  she 


18     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

carried  that  the  attack  of  man  would  soon  b'e  succeeded 
by  a  furious  tempest  which  was  piling  terrible  and 
ominous  black  clouds  upon  the  eastern  horizon.  But 
they  could  pay  no  attention  to  the  threat  of  the  storm 
then. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE   SHREWD    BLOW   OF   THE    TRIBUNE 

THE  second  sleep  of  Caius  Attilius  differed  from  his 
previous  slumber;  it  was  no  longer  untroubled.  Per- 
haps the  excitement  upon  the  decks  was  communicated 
in  some  way  to  the  consciousness  of  the  sleeping  man. 
His  rest  was  broken  by  dreams  and  visions.  He  lay, 
after  a  long  time,  in  a  condition  between  sleeping  and 
waking,  half  conscious  of  the  unwonted  trampling  of 
feet  upon  the  decks  and  the  orders  and  commands 
which,  though  carefully  subdued,  came  to  him  imper- 
fectly. He  heard  the  faint  clink  of  steel  on  steel  as 
the  legionaries  jostled  each  other  in  the  rolling  ship. 
The  wind  came  less  fiercely  into  the  cabin,  the  movement 
of  the  ship  was  still  great,  but  she  seemed  to  rise  and 
fall  inertly. 

He  vaguely  suspected  he  knew  not  what,  but  some- 
thing gave  him  a  sense  of  peril.  Finally  he  threw  aside 
the  woolen  coverlet,  and  raised  himself  on  his  elbow. 
There  was  a  feeling  of  suspense  in  the  atmosphere. 
He  was  sure  of  it.  He  opened  his  mouth  to  call  when 
a  chorus  of  sudden  shouts  in  Greek  and  fierce  yells  in 
mongrel  dialects  broke  upon  his  ear.  The  shouts  he 
knew,  the  yells  were  strange.  The  noise  came  first  from 
the  right  hand  and  then  from  the  left;  the  tumult  of 
sound  did  not  arise  from  the  decks  of  the  Isis,  either. 

He  listened  with  senses  keenly  on  the  alert  in  spite  of 

19 


20     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

his  weakness,  wondering  for  a  moment  what  this  wild 
medley  of  clamorous,  various  voices  might  portend. 
The  solution  of  the  mystery  at  the  instant  did  not 
appear  to  him. 

The  next  moment  there  was  a  terrific,  crashing,  rend- 
ing sound.  The  Isis  shivered,  stopped,  and  then  reeled 
from  some  tremendous  impact.  So  violent  was  her  re- 
coil from  the  blow  that  Caius  Attilius  was  thrown  over 
backward  against  the  bulkhead  across  which  his  berth 
was  placed.  The  shock  of  his  fall  was  severe  for  one 
in  his  condition,  although  had  he  been  reasonably  well, 
he  would  not  have  minded  it  for  a  second.  He  fought 
valiantly  against  a  sudden  faintness  which  bade  fair 
to  overcome  him. 

The  recovery  of  the  ship,  her  languid  return  to  an 
even  keel,  was  not  rapid.  Whatever  had  struck  her 
seemed  to  be  pressing  her  down,  but  before  Caius  Attil- 
ius could  reason  it  out  a  similar  crashing  impact  upon 
the  other  side  drove  the  ship  suddenly  backward,  almost 
upon  her  beam  ends,  in  the  other  direction.  As  he  lay 
helpless  upon  his  berth  under  these  shocks,  his  hand 
reached  out  toward  the  table  and  clasped  a  flat-bottomed 
flask  just  as  it  was  about  to  capsize.  He  knew  what 
was  in  that  flask ;  wine,  strong,  such  as  sailors  love  and 
the  ship  afforded. 

If  ever  he  needed  strength  and  stimulant  he  needed 
it  now.  His  first  thought  had  been  that  the  ship  had 
struck  a  rock  or  a  submerged  hulk,  but  the  second  shock 
had  enlightened  him.  In  a  flash  he  remembered  the 
rowing  galley  which  a  few  moments — or  was  it  a  few 
hours? — before  had  flashed  athwart  his  dull  vision  as 


SHREWD  BLOW  OF  THE  TRIBUNE       21 

he  stared  out  of  the  broad  stern  port.  He  realised  that 
the  Isis  had  been  rammed  first  on  one  side  and  then  on 
the  other  by  two  ships.  He  was  too  experienced  a  sol- 
dier not  to  recognise  the  noise  of  conflict,  for  now  the 
whole  air  above  him  was  filled  with  ringing  sounds — 
shouts,  yells,  oaths,  curses,  in  every  language  of  the 
Mediterranean  littoral,  the  ringing  of  the  swords,  the 
clashing  of  shield  on  shield,  the  scream  of  agony  in 
many  languages,  the  twang  of  bows,  the  crashing  of 
slingstones  upon  battered  armour,  the  grinding  of 
the  ships  side  by  side,  rolling  against  one  another  in 
a  seaway,  and  above  all  the  deep-toned  shouts  of  the 
Roman  soldiers ! 

His  legion  and  the  ship  were  attacked.  The  treasure 
of  the  Emperor  was  menaced.  The  decks  of  the  Isis 
were  being  wet  with  blood,  gory  streams  were  even 
now  pouring  out  of  her  scuppers,  and  he  was  not  there ! 
He  could  distinguish  the  voices  of  Regulus  and  Salvus 
and  Paetus,  the  hoarse  shouts  of  Balbo,  and  the  full, 
musical  war-cry  of  Greek  Agacles.  They  were  fighting 
for  their  lives,  for  their  honour,  for  the  treasure  of 
the  Emperor,  for  him — and  he  was  not  there!  He 
could  not  endure  the  position.  It  was  not  to  be  borne 
patiently  by  a  man,  a  soldier,  and  a  Roman. 

All  that  put  life  into  his  wasted  limbs.  He  drew  the 
flask  toward  him  and  drank,  took  a  breath,  and  drank 
again.  War,  and  he,  Caius  Attilius,  tribune  of  the 
Thundering  Legion,  was  not  there ! 

He  could  not  tell  how  the  battle  was  going.  The 
struggle  was  evidently  fierce  and  hand-to-hand,  and 
there  was  no  abatement.  Each  side  appeared  to  be 


22     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

meeting  stronger  resistance  than  had  been  anticipated. 
Regulus  and  the  soldiers  and  the  crew  of  Alexandrians 
were  fighting  for  liberty,  honour,  and  the  Emperor. 
The  pirates  were  fighting  for  their  lives,  fighting  with 
a  vision  of  a  cross  and  long,  lingering  hours  of  fearful 
torture  before  them. 

After  they  had  swarmed  over  the  high  bulwarks 
upon  the  apparently  deserted  deck,  with  shouts  of  tri- 
umph, only  to  find  themselves  confronted  on  every  hand 
by  ranks  of  legionaries,  the  fiercest  fighting  soldiers 
in  the  world,  they  would  have  retreated  to  their  ships ; 
but  Agacles,  with  Greek  cunning,  had  fastened  grap- 
nels by  ropes  and  chains  to  the  arms  of  the  great  yard. 
The  two  ships  had  struck  the  Isis  fairly  amidships. 
The  Greek,  warning  all  clear,  had  cut  the  halyards,  and 
the  far  extending  yard  had  fallen  across  the  decks  of 
the  two  ships,  and  the  pirate  galleys  were  thus  fast 
bound  to  the  quarry  upon  which  they  had  flung  them- 
selves. Unable  to  escape,  it  was  to  be  a  battle  to  the 
death,  therefore.  Indeed,  each  man  fought  as  if  his 
back  were  against  a  wall.  Nothing,  apparently,  could 
withstand  the  legionaries ;  yet  nothing,  it  seemed,  could 
sustain  the  fierce  onslaught  of  the  overwhelming  num- 
bers of  ruthless  sea  wolves.  So  back  and  forth  across 
the  broad  decks  amidships  the  battle  surged  and  raged, 
while  Caius  Attilius  listened  and  prayed  on  his  narrow 
bed  in  his  cabin. 

The  first  rush  from  the  port  ship  had  driven  Balbo 
and  his  men  aft  to  where  Regulus  and  his  detachment 
were  stationed.  The  pirates  filled  the  waist,  or  centre, 
of  the  ship.  Another  torrent  of  men  from  the  starboard 


SHREWD  BLOW  OF  THE  TRIBUNE       23 

vessel  had  hurried  forward,  where  they  hurled  themselves 
upon  Salvus  and  his  band.  Thus  two  separate  battles 
raged  on  the  Isis. 

The  pirate  chieftain,  however,  still  had  a  string  to 
his  bow.  He  had  not  anticipated  any  such  resistance. 
Had  he  dreamed  of  it  for  a  moment,  in  spite  of  the 
tremendous  booty  to  be  gained,  he  would  have  let  the 
Isis  severely  alone,  but  being  in  the  quarrel  he  bore 
himself  with  a  courage  and  skill  worthy  of  a  better 
cause  and  a  better  man. 

Astern  of  one  of  the  galleys  a  pinnace,  or  small  boat, 
was  towed.  From  his  position  on  the  starboard  rail 
he  saw  that  his  only  chance  of  ultimate  success  would 
lie  in  attacking  the  rear  of  one  or  the  other  groups 
of  legionaries  forward  or  aft.  He  called  to  him  a 
gigantic  Nubian,  upon  whom  he  depended  for  close 
desperate  work,  and  bade  him  return  to  the  galley, 
gather  up  what  men  he  could  of  those  who  had  been 
left  upon  the  ship,  drop  into  the  pinnace,  row  around 
to  the  stern  of  the  Isis,  climb  aboard  through  the  cabin 
windows,  and  take  Regulus  and  his  men  in  the  rear. 
Catching  the  legionaries  between  the  two  files  of  Cili- 
cians  he  hoped  to  win  the  after  part  of  the  ship,  after 
which  the  rest  would  be  easy. 

The  movement  of  the  Nubian  was  not  observed,  or 
if  it  were  noticed,  no  attention  was  paid  to  it.  The 
battle  raging  was  of  the  fiercest  description.  The 
Roman  soldiers  in  all  their  campaigning,  extending  over 
a  score  of  years  on  many  a  hard-fought  field,  had  never 
experienced  anything  like  it.  The  pressure  upon  them 
was  tremendous,  they  were  outnumbered  nearly  three 


24     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

to  one,  and  had  the  field  of  operation  not  been  limited 
to  the  narrow  deck  so  that  the  enemy  could  not  use 
their  numbers  to  the  best  advantage,  they  had  been 
annihilated.  As  it  was,  they  stood  in  close-locked 
ranks,  shields  advanced,  stubbornly  at  bay.  Those  in 
the  front  cut  viciously  with  their  short,  sharp  Roman 
swords,  those  in  the  rear  thrust  violently  with  their 
terrible  Roman  spears.  Most  of  the  sailors  had  been 
cut  down,  but  a  few  bowmen  still  stood  on  the  high 
poop  of  the  ship  overlooking  the  battle  and  shot  their 
remaining  arrows  into  the  mass  of  the  enemy.  With 
longer  lances,  with  longer  swords,  with  axes,  with  stones, 
the  latter  sought  to  break  the  ordered  ranks  of  the 
Romans.  The  two  battles  had  crowded  so  at  each  end 
of  the  vessel  that  a  broad  space,  tenanted  only  by  dead 
bodies,  stretched  amidships  between  them. 

Caius  Attilius  in  the  cabin  below  drank  again.  He 
prayed  to  the  gods,  as  he  had  never  prayed  before  for 
anything  else,  for  strength  to  enter  the  fight.  He  could 
hear  the  roar  of  the  battle  undiminished.  Evidently 
his  men  were  hard  put  to  it.  Ordinarily  such  a  contest 
would  have  been  decided  long  since  by  the  disciplined 
valour  and  steady  courage  of  the  legionaries.  Its  con- 
tinuance was  evidence  to  him  of  the  fierceness  of  the 
struggle  and  of  the  jeopardy  his  soldiers  must  be  in. 

He  raised  himself  to  his  elbow  and  then  struggled  to 
a  sitting  position ;  his  feet  dropped  to  the  deck.  He 
knew  that  he  could  not  put  on  his  armour,  that  he 
could  not  carry  a  shield,  but  at  least  his  appearance 
might  hearten  his  men.  He  reached  his  hand  out — the 
distance  was  short,  and  by  leaning  forward  he  could 


SHREWD  BLOW  OF  THE  TRIBUNE       25 

make  it — and  grasped  the  hilt  of  his  short  sword  and 
drew  it  slowly  toward  him.  He  took  another  draught 
of  the  energising  wine.  He  knew  the  cumulative  effect 
of  small  doses  taken  at  frequent  intervals.  He  was 
no  deep  drinker,  consequently  the  wine  helped  him. 
Finally  by  a  great  effort  he  rose  unsteadily  to  his  feet. 
He  clutched  the  stanchion  which  upheld  the  ceiling  of 
the  cabin  to  support  himself. 

After  waiting  a  moment  he  slowly  turned  to  the 
door,  but  as  he  did  so  the  light  of  the  cabin  was 
suddenly  obscured.  He  faced  about  again  to  see  great 
gnarled  and  knotted  black  hands  clutching  the  port 
sill.  A  moment  and  a  jet-black,  thick-lipped  Nubian 
face  rose  in  view.  The  newcomer  wore  a  red  cloth 
bound  around  his  brow.  A  broadsword  was  held  be- 
tween white  teeth.  Other  hands  of  lighter  hue  clutched 
at  the  sill  on  either  side  also.  Other  faces  appeared 
in  the  broad  opening.  Caius  Attilius  stared  as  if  in 
a  dream.  He  cursed  his  weakness,  realising  on  the 
instant  that  this  was  an  attack  on  the  rear  which,  if 
it  succeeded,  would  mean  the  loss  of  the  ship.  Could 
he  stop  it? 

He  released  his  hold  on  the  stanchion.  Silently — he 
had  no  strength  to  waste  in  cries — he  staggered  across 
the  cabin  toward  the  stern  window.  The  Nubian  saw 
him  coming,  ghastly  pale  as  the  linen  cloth  wrapped 
about  his  loins,  thin  as  death  itself  from  the  ravages 
of  the  fever.  A  light  shone  on  the  short  sword  that 
trembled  in  his  feeble  hand.  The  Nubian  paused  in 
amazement  a  moment,  half  in  half  out  of  the  window, 
his  knee  on  the  sill.  This  seemed  like  a  figure  of  death 


26     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

itself  to  him.  His  blood  ran  a  little  cold  about  his 
heart.  The  next  moment  Caius  Attilius  lurched  aft 
and  thrust  with  the  last  vestige  of  strength  in  his  arm. 

Fortune  guided  his  hand.  If  he  had  been  in  health 
and  strength,  it  had  been  easy,  but  now  to  the  gods 
alone  he  admitted  success  was  due,  for  the  sharp  point 
of  the  sword  touched  the  throat  of  the  fierce  marauder. 
There  was  not  enough  strength  in  the  thrust  to  have 
driven  home  the  blade,  but  Caius  Attilius  fell  forward 
in  sheer  weakness,  and  his  own  weight  was  added  to  the 
impetus  of  the  blow.  The  Nubian,  taken  at  such  dis- 
advantage, could  do  nothing.  He  dropped  his  own 
sword  which  he  had  seized  with  his  left  hand,  threw  up 
his  arms,  and  fell  backward.  As  he  went  hurtling  down, 
his  extended  arms  struck  the  other  figures  clinging  to 
the  sill  and  endeavouring  to  draw  themselves  up,  for 
they  had  no  ladder.  These,  too,  were  swept  down  with 
him.  His  huge  body,  dead,  inert,  fell  heavily  into  the 
pinnace,  knocked  two  men  overboard,  crushed  a  third, 
and  almost  overturned  the  boat,  which  drifted  clear  of 
the  ship. 

The  attack  was  foiled  for  the  moment.  If  they  came 
again,  however,  it  would  inevitably  succeed,  for  Caius 
Attilius  was  spent.  One  of  the  figures  at  the  stern 
window  had  thrust  at  him  with  a  spear  before  he  fell 
and  torn  a  long,  red  gash  in  the  Roman's  side.  It 
needed  not  that,  however,  for  the  fictitious  strength 
lent  by  the  wine  and  by  the  desperate  determination 
of  the  tribune  had  disappeared.  Caius  Attilius  lay  in 
a  senseless  heap  on  the  cabin  floor,  incapable  of  any- 
thing further.  Whether  a  second  attempt  would  have 


SHREWD  BLOW  OF  THE  TRIBUNE       27 

been  made  upon  the  ship  was  not  to  be  determined,  for 
at  that  very  instant  there  broke  over  the  sea  and  the 
ships  and  the  fighting  men  the  brewing  storm. 

In  such  a  conflict  of  steadiness  and  endurance,  dis- 
cipline must  always  be  served  in  the  end.  Waiting  in 
vain  for  that  attack  in  the  rear  by  his  Nubian  coadjutor, 
which  he  expected  would  turn  the  scales  in  his  favour, 
the  robber  leader  had  begun  to  lose  heart.  As  it  was 
with  the  leader,  so  it  was  with  the  men.  The  legionaries 
had  been  on  the  defensive  heretofore,  but  with  that 
peculiar  intuition  of  the  successful  soldier,  Regulus 
divined  that  the  crisis  of  the  battle  had  arrived  and 
that  he  would  triumph  who  first  seized  the  psychological 
moment  for  an  advance.  He  had  contented  himself 
hitherto  with  defence,  realising  that  upon  him  and  his 
the  safety  of  the  ship  depended;  but  now  was  the 
moment  to  throw  defence  to  the  winds. 

Opening  a  way  for  himself  through  the  ranks  of  his 
legionaries,  he  drove  a  heavy  pilum  into  the  breast  of 
the  man  opposite  him,  and  then  with  a  great  surge 
he  fairly  leaped  against  the  stubborn  ranks,  uttering 
his  battle-cry  as  he  did  so.  The  sight  of  their  pri- 
mipilus  in  the  advance  inspired  the  legionaries  with  new 
courage,  filled  them  with  something  of  his  own  splendid 
hardihood.  With  an  irresistible  impetus  they  too 
moved  forward. 

On  the  other  flank  Balbo,  who  had  possessed  himself 
of  a  gnarled  and  knotted  war-club,  dropped  his  shield, 
disdaining  its  protection,  and  leaped  upon  the  foe  with 
uplifted  arms,  and  although  a  dozen  spears  were  buried 
in  his  breast,  he  brought  down  his  heavy  weapon,  sweep- 


28     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

ing  all  before  him  as  he  fell.  He  immediately  opened 
a  way  into  which  Paetus  sprang.  The  next  instant 
the  close-locked  ranks  of  the  pirates  disintegrated  into 
units.  Through  them  the  Roman  soldiers  sifted,  cutting 
and  stabbing. 

As  the  men  aft  gave  way,  so  the  men  forward,  after 
one  brave,  desperate  effort,  did  the  like,  and  the  vacant 
space  amidships  was  suddenly  crowded  with  flying, 
panic-stricken  figures  frantically  seeking  salvation  upon 
their  own  ships.  The  bulwarks  on  either  side  were 
instantly  black  with  men  scrambling  over  and  leaping 
down  on  their  own  decks.  Some  sought  to  raise  the 
halyards,  others  strove  to  man  the  oars,  while  cooler 
hands  cut  and  hacked  frantically  at  the  grapnels  of 
rope  and  chain. 

The  fighting  blood  of  the  Romans  was  up,  however; 
they  thought  they  saw  a  chance  at  capture.  The  two 
galleys,  if  they  could  be  seized  and  brought  into  port, 
would  be  rare  and  valuable  prizes;  they  might  have 
much  booty  aboard.  Without  orders,  therefore,  they 
swarmed  across  the  bulwarks  to  starboard  and  to  port, 
and  the  interrupted  battle  was  at  once  resumed  upon 
the  decks  of  the  galleys. 

Agacles  was  down,  a  spear  through  his  heart. 
Ramses,  the  chief-pilot,  had  had  his  brains  beaten  out 
by  a  war-club.  Balbo,  the  sailor  legionary,  was  dead 
from  a  dozen  wounds.  Most  of  the  crew  also  were 
killed. 

In  the  wild  excitement  of  the  conflict  none  thought 
to  look  toward  sky  or  sea.  Mad  with  the  lust  of  the 
battle,  none  realised  the  coming  of  the  storm  until  it 


SHREWD  BLOW  OF  THE  TRIBUNE       29 

broke  upon  them.  With  a  crash  of  terrific  thunder 
the  tempest  was  heralded.  The  wind  had  died  away 
and,  save  for  the  rolling  of  an  uneasy  sea,  the  battle  had 
been  fought  in  a  perfect  calm.  In  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  with  a  roar  which  made  even  the  thunderbolt  in- 
significant, the  tornado  burst  upon  them.  The  sea  was 
beaten  into  a  white  froth  on  the  instant.  The  three 
ships  were  wrenched  apart.  Two  of  them,  having  their 
sails  partly  spread,  were  driven  ahead,  the  grapnels  and 
lashings  snapped  like  threads.  A  horrible  mist  and 
darkness  fell  over  the  waters.  With  men  still  fighting 
for  mastery  on  her  decks  one  of  the  galleys  disappeared 
in  the  sudden  obscurity  on  one  side,  the  other  on  the 
other. 

There  were  left  upon  the  Isis  Regulus  and  a  half- 
dozen  veterans  whom  he  had  gathered  about  him  as 
a  reserve  so  as  to  be  ready  for  any  emergency.  There 
were  perhaps  half  as  many  seamen  unwounded.  A 
score  of  the  legionaries  had  been  killed,  and  practically 
all  of  the  unarmed  sailors,  and  there  must  have  been  fifty 
of  the  pirates,  dead  and  severely  wounded,  lying  upon 
the  decks.  The  remainder  of  the  legionaries  were  upon 
the  two  boats  which  had  disappeared  in  the  storm. 
Among  the  sailors  left  there  were  none  of  skill,  experi- 
ence, or  importance.  The  cutting  of  the  halyards  de- 
prived Regulus  of  the  ability  to  set  any  sail,  yet  the 
Isis,  under  the  terrific  pressure  of  the  wind,  forged 
swiftly  ahead,  turning  as  she  did  so  until  she  lay  broad- 
side in  the  trough  of  the  sea.  At  first,  the  wind  had 
flattened  the  water,  but  the  waves  were  beginning  to 
rise  and  the  Isis  was  soon  rolling  terribly. 


30     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

Regulus  did  not  know  what  to  do.  Indeed  it  would 
have  taxed  the  skill  of  old  Agacles,  who  had  made  so 
good  a  fight  for  his  ship,  to  have  remedied  affairs. 
The  primipilus  looked  over  the  side  and  thought  that 
the  ship  was  considerably  lower  in  the  water.  He  went 
forward  and  saw  that  the  timbers  had  been  strained 
on  either  side  where  the  galleys  had  crashed  into  the 
Isis.  If  they  had  been  provided  with  iron  beaks  they 
would  have  cut  her  down,  but  even  the  blunt  impact 
had  proven  sufficiently  damaging.  Seams  had  opened, 
butts  had  started.  He  sent  below  a  seaman  who  re- 
ported that  the  Isis  was  filling  with  water  and  would 
soon  sink.  The  small  boat  of  the  merchant  ship  which 
had  been  towed  along  one  side  had  been  crushed  as  one 
of  the  galleys  had  struck  her. 

Bidding  the  crew  make  what  preparations  seemed 
best  to  them  for  their  own  salvation  Regulus,  with  a 
heavy  heart,  turned  and  went  into  the  after  cabin.  He 
was  amazed  beyond  measure  to  find  the  tribune  huddled 
in  a  heap  near  the  after  window  with  a  spear  wound 
in  his  side,  and  yet  he  instantly  divined  what  probably 
had  happened.  He  lifted  the  senseless  young  patrician 
up  in  his  arms  as  if  he  had  been  a  baby  and  laid  him 
upon  his  berth.  With  skilful  hands  he  bound  up  the 
wound  with  the  linen  of  the  bed.  Indeed,  it  was  merely 
a  flesh  wound  and  dangerous  only  because  of  the  weak- 
ened condition  of  the  tribune.  He  bathed  his  face  and 
forced  some  of  the  wine  between  his  lips,  and  presently 
had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  his  beloved  young  com- 
mander open  his  eyes. 

"  What  hath  happened?  "  whispered  Attilius. 


SHREWD  BLOW  OF  THE  TRIBUNE       31 

"  We  were  beset  by  two  pirate  galleys  of  Cilicia. 
They  boarded  us  on  either  side  and  the  fight  upon  the 
decks  was  close  and  bloody.  Never  saw  I  the  like  of 
it  in  my  forty  years  of  service." 

"But  we  beat  them?" 

"  Aye,  the  legionaries  boarded  the  ships  on  either 
side " 

"  I  remember,"  said  Attilius ;  "  they  sought  entrance 
through  this  cabin.  I  drove  my  sword  through  the 
throat  of  a  great  Nubian " 

"  By  Hercules ! "  burst  out  Regulus,  picking  up  as 
he  did  so  the  blood-stained  sword  of  the  tribune.  "  The 
gods  gave  thee  strength  in  thy  weakened  arm." 

"  It  must  have  been  so." 

"  And  thou  didst  save  the  battle,  for  had  they  burst 
upon  us  and  taken  us  in  the  rear  through  the  cabin,  we 
had  been  lost." 

"  What  is  to  do  now  ?  "  began  Attilius  in  the  little 
pause  that  followed  the  centurion's  words. 

"  But  little,  I  fear  me.  The  storm  hath  broken  upon 
the  ship.  The  galleys  have  been  wrenched  away.  With 
our  men  still  fighting  the  pirates  upon  their  decks  they 
have  disappeared  in  the  mist  and  spray.  We  are  alone 
and  helpless  and  scarcely  a  seaman  or  a  legionary  re- 
maineth  aboard." 

"But  Agacles?" 

"  Dead." 

"Ramses?" 

"  Dead." 

"  Balbo?  " 

"  Dead  all.     The  ship  hath  fallen  in  the  trough  of 


32     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

the  sea.  The  leak  is  gaining,  butts  and  seams  have 
opened " 

"  And  we  must  die,"  said  Attilius.  "  Well,  the  gods 
know  that  it  was  a  good  fight.  Would  that  I  had  found 
strength  to  do  more.  Help  me  to  my  feet,  worthy 
friend  and  tutor  in  war  and  honour  and  glory  for 
these  many  years.  I  may  not  bear  armour,  but  at 
least  wrap  my  toga  about  me  and  give  me  my  sword. 
A  Roman  should  die  upon  his  feet,  his  sword  in  hand. 
And  do  thou  help  me  out  upon  the  deck  that  we  may 
not  be  drowned  like  rats  in  a  trap.  It  is  well  that  we 
are  together.  I  could  wish  no  better  companion  than 
thou,  brave  Regulus,  in  the  long  descent  to  Avernus 
or  what  lieth  beyond." 

"  I  thank  thee,  Caius  Attilius,"  answered  the  old 
soldier,  his  eyes  gleaming.  "  When  I  was  a  boy  I  fol- 
lowed the  great  proconsul,  thy  father,  and  I  am  hon- 
oured with  the  affection  of  his  worthy  and  beloved 
son." 

Supported  by  the  arm  of  Regulus,  Attilius  pres- 
ently stepped  upon  deck.  The  water  was  gaining  rap- 
idly. The  decks  of  the  I  sis  were  almost  awash.  For- 
ward the  survivors  were  busy  making  a  raft.  With  the 
ready  skill  of  the  Roman  soldier  they  had  cut  the  yard 
in  two,  water  casks  had  been  lashed  between  the  two 
pieces,  planks  ripped  from  the  deck  had  been  laid 
across,  and  aided  by  the  sailors,  who  had  wit  enough 
for  that,  a  serviceable  raft  had  been  prepared. 

The  wash  of  the  sea  had  taken  overboard  most  of 
the  bodies  of  the  slain  and  most  of  the  wounded  as 
well.  There  was  no  time  for  the  care  of  the  wounded, 


SHREWD  BLOW  OF  THE  TRIBUNE       33 

and  had  there  been  time  there  was  little  pity  in  the 
hearts  of  the  survivors ;  so  dead  and  wounded  alike  were 
left  to  themselves.  Indeed,  the  severely  wounded  and 
helpless  among  the  Romans  had  stoically  refused  suc- 
cour, knowing  that  their  fate  was  sealed  in  any  event 
and  that  the  endeavour  to  do  anything  for  them  would 
only  jeopard  the  chance,  slim  enough  at  best,  of  the 
survivors. 

They  brought  the  tribune  fonvard,  the  raft  was 
launched  to  leeward,  the  survivors  boarded  it,  the  lash- 
ings were  cut,  and  it  drove  away  in  the  storm.  The 
slight  support  of  the  rude  mass  of  timbers  had  been 
gained  just  in  time,  for  they  presently  saw  the  I  sis 
lift  her  stern  high  in  the  air  and  plunge  bow  foremost 
beneath  the  raging  sea.  Regulus  knelt  upon  the  raft, 
supporting  the  body  of  the  tribune  in  his  arms.  The 
legionaries  stood  to  windward  to  break  if  possible  the 
force  of  the  seas  which  continuously  swept  across  the 
frail,  tossing  platform. 

"  There  goeth  the  Emperor's  treasure,"  whispered 
Attilius  regretfully.  "What  will  he  think  of  us?" 

"  Not  all  of  it,"  whispered  the  centurion  to  the  young 
man,  "  for  while  thou  wert  unconscious  we  landed  at 
Crete  and  turned  over  to  the  proconsul  there  all  the 
gold  and  silver." 

"And  the  jewels?" 

"  I  have  them  on  my  person." 

"  That  was  well  done.     Caesar  will  reward  thee." 

"  Methinks,"  answered  Regulus,  smiling  grimly  as  he 
looked  over  the  tossing  seas,  "  that  no  man  will  have 
a  chance  to  reward  us,  for  a  greater  power  than  Cassar 


34     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

hath  us  now  within  his  grip.  By  Hercules,  I  have 
voyaged  from  Alexandria  to  far  Britain  and  never  saw 
I  such  a  storm." 

The  old  centurion  looked  down  upon  the  young  trib- 
une as  he  spoke,  but  the  eyes  of  Caius  Attilius  were 
closed.  He  had  fainted,  or  died,  under  the  strain  of 
it  all. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE    CORN    SHIP    OF    ALEXANDRIA 

A  LITTLE  group  of  men  stood  before  the  break  of  the 
poop  of  a  large  merchant  ship  about  the  size  and  build 
of  the  ill-fated  Isis,  belonging  in  fact  to  the  same  im- 
perially licensed  fleet  of  ships.  They  were  sheltered  in 
some  degree  from  the  furious  storm  from  the  east- 
northeast  which  blew  upon  the  ship,  by  the  high  poop 
and  the  slight  overhang  of  the  deck  above.  For  sev- 
eral days  they  had  been  tempest-tossed  and  at  the 
mercy  of  this  furious  gale  which  the  sailors  called 
Euraquilo.  They  had  sought  to  beat  up  into  it,  but 
its  force  had  been  so  great  that  they  had  been  com- 
pelled, first  to  furl  the  great  mainsail,  and  then  to  strike 
the  yard  to  the  deck.  After  they  had  thus  lowered 
and  secured  it,  the  labouring  of  the  great  ship  in  the 
immense  seas  raised  by  the  storm  had  rendered  it  ad- 
visable to  lighten  her  by  getting  rid  of  the  immense 
and  weighty  spar,  which  accordingly  they  had  with 
some  difficulty  cast  overboard.  They  were  drifting  now 
before  the  wind,  and  only  the  hardest  kind  of  work 
with  the  huge  steering-oar,  thrust  out  of  an  after  port 
just  forward  of  the  cabin,  kept  the  ship  from  broach- 
ing to  and  falling  into  the  trough  of  the  sea.  Their 
endeavours  to  keep  the  ship  hove  to  were  supplemented 

by  a  little  sail  called  the  artemon,  a  small  portion  of 

85 


36     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

which  was  spread  on  a  supplementary  mast  and  yard, 
which  raked  out  from  the  bows  of  the  ship,  like  the 
bowsprit  and  spritsail  yard  of  later  days. 

Skilful  and  resourceful  seamen  were  aboard  that  ship. 
She  was  filled  with  wheat,  in  bulk,  from  Alexandria  to 
Rome,  and  carried  besides  her  crew  some  two  hundred 
prisoners  and  their  guards  from  the  east  end  of  the 
Mediterranean,  who  were  being  sent  to  Rome  under 
escort  for  trial  or  punishment.  Deeply  laden,  the  ship 
had  laboured  frightfully  in  the  heavy  seas.  The  high 
forecastle  and  stern,  where  much  of  the  weight  was 
concentrated,  made  such  ships  apt  to  break  in  two  in  a 
seaway.  To  prevent  this  a  heavy  cable  had  been  passed 
from  the  stem  to  stern  posts  above  the  deck,  and  by 
twisting  it  until  it  was  as  taut  as  a  harp  string,  an  im- 
mense support  had  been  afforded  to  the  vessel  to  help  her 
sustain  the  longitudinal  strain.  And  the  better  to  enable 
her  to  resist  the  incessant  battering  of  the  waves,  huge 
cables  had  been  passed  several  times  completely  around 
the  ship  amidships,  under  the  bottom  that  is,  both  for- 
ward and  abaft  the  mast.  The  ends  of  these  cables  were 
brought  up  on  deck  and  led  through  huge  blocks  to 
the  capstans  and  bowsed  taut.  Undergirding,  this 
necessary  process  was  called. 

Ancient  ships  were  not  so  stoutly  built  or  so  well 
calculated  to  resist  weather  as  the  great  sailing  vessels 
of  later  centuries,  and  such  expedients  were  usual  and 
necessary.  Indeed,  the  larger  and  better  provided  ves- 
sels, like  those  of  the  imperial  line,  invariably  carried 
such  cables  for  the  very  purpose  of  encircling  the  ship, 
for  frapping  her  together,  as  it  were. 


THE  CORN  SHIP  OF  ALEXANDRIA       37 

The  group  aft  consisted  of  the  master  of  the  ship, 
as'  usual  an  Egyptian-Greek,  named  Ptolemeus ;  a  tall, 
distinguished  looking  centurion  who  had  command  of 
the  century  of  legionaries  which  had  been  detailed  to 
guard  the  prisoners,  and  a  much  smaller  man  of  dis- 
tinctly Jewish  aspect.  The  helmeted  centurion  was 
dressed  in  the  full  armour  of  his  rank  and  wore  in 
addition  a  long,  heavy  cloak  of  scarlet  to  protect  him 
from  the  chilling,  misty  rain  of  the  late  fall  morning. 
The  shipmaster  was  wrapped  in  a  rough,  warm  Greek 
chlamys  with  a  hood  which  was  drawn  over  his  head. 
The  third  person,  the  Hebrew,  was  clothed  in  a  long, 
dull  brown,  much  worn  tunic  encircled  at  the  waist  by 
a  many-folded  girdle  of  the  same  material.  His  head 
was  covered  with  a  dark  crimson  cloth,  tightly  bound 
in  turban-like  folds  about  his  brows,  yet  showing  be- 
neath its  edges  a  fringe  of  short,  curly,  iron  grey  hair 
matching  his  short  grey  beard.  From  the  broad  if 
somewhat  stooped  shoulders  of  this  man  hung  a  rusty 
black  cloak,  which  had  seen  much  hard  service  since  it 
had  been  woven  from  goat's  hair  by  the  man's  own  hand 
years  before. 

The  shipmaster  was  of  middle  size,  the  centurion 
unusually  tall  for  a  Roman,  but  the  Hebrew,  measured 
by  any  standard,  was  a  small  man.  Yet  as  he  stood 
in  the  centre  of  the  group  he  was  easily  the  most  striking 
and  commanding  personality  of  the  three.  An  inde- 
finable air  of  ability  and  power  appertained  to  him. 
Although  one  was  the  commander  of  the  vessel,  the 
other  was  the  representative  of  the  Emperor,  while  the 
Hebrew  was  only  a  prisoner,  there  was  a  marked  defer- 


38     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

ence,  of  which  they  were  quite  unconscious  apparently, 
in  their  manner  toward  him. 

The  time  was  early  in  the  morning.  The  sky  was 
heavily  overcast,  they  had  enjoyed  no  glimpse  of  the 
sun  for  several  days,  and  the  weather  promised  none 
that  day  or  soon  thereafter.  The  air  was  filled  with 
wind-driven  spray  and  mist  which  sometimes  developed 
into  a  fine,  cold  rain.  Huge  waves  frequently  broke 
over  the  ship.  The  decks  were  crowded  with  drenched 
and  shivering  men.  Many  of  the  prisoners  were  allowed 
the  liberty  of  the  ship  at  all  times,  and  all  were  on  deck 
in  such  an  emergency,  when  any  hour  might  see  the 
foundering  or  wrecking  of  the  vessel.  The  craven, 
slavish  demeanour  of  most  of  the  prisoners  and  their 
undisguised  fear  were  thrown  into  high  relief  by  the 
firm  and  steady  courage  of  the  legionaries  posted  where, 
in  case  of  an  outbreak,  they  could  command  the  ship. 
The  seamen,  more  or  less  accustomed  to  such  scenes, 
were  busy  about  their  several  duties,  the  principal  one 
of  which  was  the  arduous  labour  of  manning  the  pumps, 
for  the  ship  was  leaking  badly  in  spite  of  her  under- 
girding  and  the  other  precautions  they  had  taken. 

Breakfast  had  been  served — a  sorry  meal  indeed:  a 
piece  of  hard  bread,  a  handful  of  raw  wheat,  a  scant 
draught  of  water  mingled,  in  the  case  of  the  soldiers 
and  officers,  with  a  modicum  of  thin,  sour  wine.  The 
centurion,  the  shipmaster,  and  the  Hebrew  who  shared 
the  small  after  cabin,  had  breakfasted  within  and  had 
come  forth  on  deck  to  discuss  their  situation.  A  huge 
Cappadocian  pilot  with  two  stout  assistants,  for  the 
storm  made  the  work  hard,  handled  the  great  steering- 


THE  CORN  SHIP  OF  ALEXANDRIA       39 

oar  thrust  out  of  a  porthole  to  windward.  To  him 
the  shipmaster  addressed  himself. 

"  Hath  there  been  any  change  during  thy  watch?  " 

"  None,  master ;  the  wind  holdeth  as  steadily  as  ever. 
It  hath  not  abated  in  violence." 

"  I  scarcely  expected  any  change,"  continued  Ptole- 
meus. 

He  stepped  forward  a  few  paces  and  beckoned  with 
his  hand  to  an  old  seaman  who  was  supervising  and 
directing  the  gang  of  men  at  the  pumps.  The  man 
turned,  walked  aft,  and  saluted. 

"What  hast  thou  to  report?"  asked  the  shipmaster. 

"  The  water  gaineth  upon  us  in  spite  of  all  we  can 
do." 

"But  slowly?" 

"  If  the  leak  grow  no  worse  we  can  keep  it  down 
provided  the  strength  and  the  spirit  of  the  men  do 
not  give  way." 

"  Aye,  it  is  hard  work,  back  breaking  and  heart 
tearing,  bending  over  the  pumps,"  continued  the 
captain. 

"As  to  that,  worthy  shipmaster,"  said  the  little 
man,  who  was  intently  observing  everything  with  a  pair 
of  very  bright  eyes,  "  thou  hast  the  prisoners.  They 
can  relieve  thy  men,  and  even  I,  though  I  am  old,  am 
not  helpless  and  shall  be  able  to  do  my  share  with 
the  rest." 

"  Paulus,  thou  hast  well  said,"  interposed  the  cen- 
turion. "  Rather  than  drown  ignobly  without  a  strug- 
gle, I  and  my  men  will  take  their  turns  at  whatever 
work  may  be  necessary.  They  are  a  sturdy  set,"  con- 


40     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

tinued  the  soldier,  looking  with  pride  at  his  legionaries, 
"  and  will  do  well  whatever  they  undertake." 

"  It  hath  not  come  to  that  yet,"  returned  the  ship- 
master. "But,  sirs,  I  thank  ye  for  your  good  will. 
Should  we  need  relief  I  will  remember  your  proffers ;  not 
that  thou,  centurion,  or  thou,  Paulus,  wilt  be  permitted. 
The  ordering  of  the  one  and  the  counselling  of  the 
other  are  more  valuable  than  any  labour  of  hand  or 
arm  which  could  be  contributed  by  either  or  both 
of  you." 

"  And  what  thinkest  thou  of  our  prospects,  worthy 
shipmaster?  "  inquired  the  centurion. 

The  Greek  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  extended  his 
arms. 

"  We  are  in  the  hands  of  the  gods,"  he  said ;  "  we 
have  done  all  we  can  do.  The  ship  driveth  on." 

"  And  what  is  thine  opinion  of  the  duration  of  the 
storm?" 

"  I  have  known  Euraquilo  to  blow  for  two  weeks 
steadily.  Fortunately,  we  have  plenty  of  sea  room. 
There  is  nothing  ahead,  and  to  the  westward  but  Sicilia 
and  Melita,  and  while  I  have  little  on  which  tp  base 
any  estimate  of  our  course  or  direction,  not  having  had 
sight  of  sun  or  stars  for  so  long,  I  am  inclined  to  the 
supposition  that  we  are  well  to  the  southwest  of  them 
both.  There  is  plenty  of  open  water  between  Melita 
and  the  African  coast.  We  may  drive  before  the  wind 
until  it  blow  icself  out." 

"But  that  African  coast?  Is  there  no  danger  of 
our  bringing  up  on  it  ?  " 

"  Grave  danger.     The  wind  hath  not  shifted,  so  far 


THE  CORN  SHIP  OF  ALEXANDRIA       41 

as  we  can  tell,  but  in  this  murky  air  and  sea  who  could 
be  sure  from  what  direction  it  cometh?  Lest  we  should 
fall  on  the  quicksands  of  Syrtis  I  have  spread  a  corner 
of  the  artemon  forward  yonder  to  balance  the  thrust 
of  the  rudder  oar,  and  you  see  that  though  we  are 
drifting,  I  strive  to  keep  her  head  up  to  the  wind  as 
much  as  possible." 

"And  if  the  leak  gain?" 

"  We  can  lighten  the  ship  by  discharging  the  cargo, 
but  it  is  a  slow  process." 

"And  canst  thou  think  of  nothing  more?" 

"  Nothing.  All  things  that  my  skill  and  the  experi- 
ence of  many  years  can  suggest  have  been  done." 

"  I  can  well  believe  that,"  answered  the  centurion. 
"  Dost  thou  not  agree,  Paulus  ?  " 

"  Twice  I  have  suffered  shipwreck,"  returned  the 
Hebrew  gravely,  "  and  once  I  was  a  day  and  a  night 
in  the  deep  upborne  by  a  frail  raft  to  which  I  clung 
until  rescued,  but  never  saw  I  storm  like  this." 

"  And  canst  thou  suggest  anything?  " 

"  Nothing  further  can  be  done.  Often  in  my  long 
life  have  I  gone  down  upon  the  sea  in  ships,  and  the 
worthy  shipmaster  and  his  men  have  done  all  in  their 
power.  We  are  in  the  hands  of  Him  who,  on  storm- 
tossed  Galilee,  said  to  wind  and  wave,  *  Peace,  be  still.'  ' 

"And  who  was  He?"  asked  Julius.  "But  I  know 
thine  answer,"  he  smiled  faintly,  giving  the  other  no 
time  to  reply,  "  that  wondrous  Jesus,  called  Christus, 
of  Nazareth,  whom  thou  declarest  to  be  a  God." 

"  For  Whose  sake,"  assented  Paulus,  smiling,  and 
when  he  smiled  his  stern,  austere  countenance  was  il- 


42     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

luminated  with  brightness,  geniality,  and  charm,  "  I 
go  to  Rome  a  prisoner." 

"  By  Hercules,  thou  art  a  strange  man,  Paulus,  with 
thy  crucified  God,"  said  Julius,  the  centurion,  gravely. 
"  I  would  hear  more  of  thy  religion  when  I  have  a  con- 
venient season." 

"  So  said  Antonius  Felix,  the  most  excellent  pro- 
curator," answered  Paulus,  with  equal  gravity  and 
greater  emphasis,  "  but  if  he  depend  upon  me  his  oppor- 
tunity is  lost." 

"  Indeed  I  think  so,"  answered  Julius,  mistaking  the 
other's  meaning  somewhat,  "  for  unless  the  storm  abate, 
I  believe  this  straining  ship  will  never  weather  it." 

"  Thou  shouldst  have  hearkened  unto  me,"  said 
Paulus  gravely,  "  and  not  loosed  from  Crete.  Never- 
theless, I  think " 

But  the  Hebrew  did  not  finish  his  words,  for  at  that 
moment  from  out  of  the  cabin  came  another  man, 
habited  like  Paulus  save  that  his  head  was  bare  as 
became  his  Greek  birth  and  upbringing.  He  was  an 
elderly  man  and  a  tall.  Though  not  so  old  as  Paulus 
his  beard  was  longer  and  whiter.  He  stepped  to  the 
side  of  the  other  and  laid  his  hand  affectionately  upon 
his  arm. 

"Art  thou  not  imprudent  to  expose  thyself  to  the 
rigour  of  the  storm  in  this  cold  and  cutting  wind  and 
rain  when  thou  mightst  remain  within  the  shelter  of 
the  cabin,  beloved  teacher?  " 

"  Nay,  good  Lucas,  worthy  yoke-fellow  in  the  Gospel, 
that  thorn  in  the  flesh  that  troubleth  me  so  often  doth 
not  prick  me  this  morning,  and  after  the  confinement 


THE  CORN  SHIP  OF  ALEXANDRIA       43 

of  the  night,  I  would  fain  breathe  the  air.  Thou  art 
my  physician,  I  know " 

"  Well,  well,"  said  Lucas,  looking  affectionately  at 
his  beloved  preceptor  and  leader,  "  thou  seemest  in 
good  health  and  spirits,  for  which  Our  Lord  Christ  be 
praised." 

"  His  spirit  doth  help  and  cheer  us  all,"  answered 
Julius,  referring  to  Paulus,  of  course.  "  I  know  not 
what  we  would  do  without  him." 

"  It  is  not  my  spirit,  brave  centurion,"  returned  the 
Hebrew,  his  hand  pointing  upward,  "  but  His  that  sus- 
taineth  me  and  shall  sustain  you  all." 

Further  conversation  was  interrupted  by  a  hail  from 
the  forecastle.  The  shipmaster  had  withdrawn  from 
the  others  and  was  talking  to  some  of  his  crew  when 
the  man  who  had  hailed  came  running  aft.' 

"  Sir,"  said  he,  "  there  is  a  raft  in  tl^e  water  right 
ahead." 

"  A  raft !    Is  it  deserted?  " 

"  There  are  men  upon  it." 

"How  many?" 

"  I  cannot  make  out  in  the  mist,  but  thou  canst  see 
for  thyself  from  the  weather  side  of  the  upper  deck 
yonder." 

"  A  raft  hath  been  sighted,"  said  the  shipmaster, 
turning  and  climbing  up  the  ladder  to  the  poop  deck, 
"  there  are  men  upon  it,  and " 

"  Men  in  trouble  upon  a  raft,"  exclaimed  Paulus ; 
"  we  must  look  to  their  salvation." 

He  turned,  and  with  astonishing  steadiness,  consid- 
ering the  wild  motion  of  the  ship,  followed  the  ship- 


44     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

master  up  the  ladder  to  the  poop  deck  together  with 
Julius  and  Lucas. 

"  It  is  there,"  said  the  seaman  who  had  discovered 
the  raft  and  reported  it,  pointing  forward  to  a  grey 
blur  rising  and  falling  in  the  seas. 

They  all  stared  in  the  direction  of  his  outstretched 
hand. 

"  I  make  nothing  of  it,"  said  Paulus  at  last. 

"  The  brightness  of  thine  eyes  belieth  their  vision," 
said  the  shipmaster  in  some  surprise. 

"  Even  so,"  answered  the  other  a  little  sadly. 

"  But  they  have  seen  things  hidden  from  the  rest  of 
us,"  commented  Lucas  tenderly. 

"  I  can  see  the  raft  plainly,"  said  Julius.  "  There 
are  men  on  it." 

"  I,  too,  make  them  out,"  said  Lucas  after  a  long 
stare.  "  See,"  he  took  the  Hebrew  by  the  shoulders, 
faced  him  in  the  right  direction,  and  pointed.  "  Canst 
thou  not  distinguish  them  now  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Paulus,  "  faintly." 

"  Well,  I  see  them  clearly,"  said  Julius. 

"  We  can  do  but  little  for  them,"  said  the  ship- 
master. "  It  may  be  a  few  hours  when  we  too  shall 
be  in  as  dangerous  a  situation." 

"  Meanest  thou  to  make  no  effort  to  rescue  them  ?  " 
cried  Paulus. 

The  shipmaster  shook  his  head. 

"  That  must  not  be,"  said  the  Hebrew  positively. 
"  Think  of  the  emotions  of  those  men  as  we  pass  by. 
I  tell  thee,  I  myself  have  clung  to  a  piece  of  timber 
and  have  waited  and  watched  a  heedless  ship  sail  away, 


THE  CORN  SHIP  OF  ALEXANDRIA       45 

and  but  that  I  was  sustained  by  the  Lord's  Christ,  my 
heart  had  broken  with  the  abandonment." 

"As  ever,  Paulus  is  right,"  said  Julius  decisively, 
"  and  I  am  much  mistaken  if  those  men  be  not  Romans," 
he  continued,  shading  his  eyes  and  looking  hard. 
"  They  look  to  me  like  soldiers.  Thou  must  e'en  do 
what  thou  canst,  Master  Ptolemeus." 

"  Have  it  your  way,  my  masters,"  said  the  Greek 
smoothly,  "  although  I  should  think  there  were  enough 
souls  already  aboard  this  over-laden,  over-crowded,  leak- 
ing ship.  Although  I  can  do  but  little,  I  will  try." 

He  measured  the  bearing  of  the  raft  with  his  hand. 
There  were  half  a  dozen  figures  on  it,  and  they  were 
gesticulating  wildly.  One  of  them  was  waving  an  offi- 
cer's cloak  of  scarlet,  the  paludament  making  a  vivid 
dash  of  colour  against  the  dull  grey  background  of 
sky  and  mist  and  sea.  The  shipmaster  stepped  to 
the  break  of  the  poop  and  called  to  the  pilot  and  directed 
him  to  throw  the  ship  well  up  into  the  wind.  He  next 
spoke  to  an  under  officer  and  bade  him  lower  the  shred 
of  the  artemon  that  had  been  spread  forward.  He  did 
not  think  that  the  ship  would  broach  to,  yet  he  did 
not  order  them  to  furl  the  scrap  of  sail  forward  but  to 
hold  it  in  their  hands  so  that  it  could  be  set  again  in 
a  moment.  The  pilot,  comprehending  all,  so  skilfully 
used  the  huge  steering-oar  that,  deprived  of  the  sail 
forward,  the  ship  swept  slowly  up  into  the  wind. 

A  few  minutes'  drift  showed  that  she  would  bring  the 
raft  under  her  lee  in  a  short  time. 

"  Thou  darest  not  launch  the  boat,  I  suppose?  "  asked 
Julius,  when  this  manreuvre  had  been  completed. 


46     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Not  for  a  moment  could  the  attempt  be  made,"  was 
the  seaman's  answer.  He  then  cried  out  to  the  men, 
"  Let  ropes  be  provided  upon  the  lee  side  for  casting 
to  the  occupants  of  the  raft." 

The  ship  was  low  in  the  water,  and  the  men  on  the 
raft  could  be  lifted  on  board  by  the  men  on  the  decks, 
once  the  raft  had  been  drawn  alongside.  The  manoeuvre 
was  practicable  enough,  the  only  danger  being  that  the 
leeway  of  the  ship  would  be  somewhat  greater  than 
was  anticipated,  in  which  case  she  might  rise  upon  a 
wave  and  crash  down  upon  the  frail  raft,  which  would 
be  the  end  of  all  on  that  crazy  platform.  But  the 
handling  of  the  steersman  was  admirable.  Working  his 
steering-oar  frantically  he  barely  cleared  the  raft,  and 
as  the  platform  on  the  crest  of  a  huge  wave  rushed  along 
to  leeward,  ropes  were  cast,  its  momentum  was  stayed, 
and  it  was  drawn  alongside,  where  it  ground  heavily 
against  the  planking.  The  rail  of  the  ship  was  black 
with  men,  hands  were  stretched  out,  and  one  after 
another  the  half-dozen  living  men  standing  on  the  raft 
were  hoisted  aboard. 

As  they  were  dragged  over  the  rail,  however,  a  pros- 
trate man  was  discovered  lying  upon  the  raft,  his  head 
and  shoulders  supported  in  the  arms  of  the  last  of  the 
soldiers.  The  raft  was  moving  aft,  the  ship  forward. 
There  was  but  little  time  to  spare.  At  the  shipmaster's 
suggestion,  two  of  the  seamen  leaped  from  the  ship  to 
the  raft.  They  tied  ropes  around  the  prostrate  man 
by  which  he  was  dragged  hurriedly  to  the  deck.  Not 
until  then  did  the  man  holding  him  release  his  grasp. 
He,  too,  was  dragged  aboard,  hands  were  extended,  and 


THE  CORN  SHIP  OF  ALEXANDRIA       47 

the  two  sailors  also  scrambled  back.  The  scrap  of  sail 
forward  was  hoisted  again,  the  ship  fell  away  on  her 
previous  course,  and  the  raft  was  instantly  left  behind. 

The  rescued  men  were  surrounded  by  a  crowd  at  once, 
and  many  tongues  wagged  curiously  to  know  their 
story.  He  who  had  come  last  aboard,  however,  picked 
up  in  his  arms  the  body  that  had  been  hauled  from 
the  raft  by  the  ropes  and  carried  it  aft  in  his  arms, 
his  bearing  being  such  as  would  indicate  the  propriety 
of  his  approaching  that  end  of  the  ship.  He  looked 
haggard  and  old,  his  cuirass  and  helmet  were  rusty, 
and  his  cloak  was  faded  and  water-stained,  but  the 
centurion  Julius  recognised  him  at  once. 

"  Why,  it  is  my  old  comrade,  Regulus,  by  Hercules !  " 
he  exclaimed,  stepping  forward  with  hands  extended  in 
welcome. 

"  Julius  of  the  Augustan  band,"  answered  Regulus, 
a  smile  appearing  on  his  countenance,  "  and  this  is  the 
Osiris,  the  gods  be  praised !  " 

"  The  same,  and  glad  am  I  that  the  gods  permit 
me  to  serve  thee.  But  who  hast  thou  here?  " 

"  The  noble  tribune,  Caius  Attilius." 

"  Thou  shalt  take  him  to  mine  own  cabin,"  answered 
Julius,  pushing  aft.  "  This  way,"  he  cried. 

"  Hast  thou  a  physician  on  board?  "  continued  Reg- 
ulus. 

"  I  am  a  physician,"  said  Lucas,  stepping  forward. 

"  Thou  shalt  have  rich  reward  if  thou  canst  preserve 
the  life  of  the  noble  tribune." 

"  Without  that,  but  for  the  service  of  mankind 
alone,"  answered  Lucas-  gravely,  "  I  will  do  my  best." 


48     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  This  way,"  cried  Julius,  and  in  a  short  time  the 
two  centurions,  with  Lucas  the  physician  and  Paulus 
the  Hebrew,  were  crowded  in  the  little  bare  cabin 
allotted  to  Julius,  which  was,  of  course,  the  best  and 
largest  cabin  upon  the  ship,  as  he  was  the  highest  officer 
thereon. 

Caius  Attilius,  wasted  to  a  mere  skeleton  and  uncon- 
scious, was  laid  upon  the  couch.  Lucas  stooped  over 
him  and  examined  him  skilfully  and  rapidly  with  an 
ever  deepening  gravity  of  face. 

"He  hath  had  the  greater  fever?"  he  questioned, 
looking  up  at  Regulus. 

"  Aye,  the  African,  but  it  broke  the  day  our  ship 
foundered." 

"  Blood  hath  been  let  from  him  by  this  spear  thrust." 

"  That,  too." 

"  He  liveth,"  said  the  physician  at  last,  "  but  barely. 
His  chances  of  life  are  small." 

"  Let  me  look  at  him,"  said  Paulus. 

"  Art  thou,  too,  a  physician?  "  asked  Regulus,  giving 
up  his  place  by  the  side  of  the  couch  to  the  Hebrew. 

"  A  physician  of  the  soul." 

"  He  needeth  no  such  doctor,"  answered  the  pri- 
mipilus  grimly. 

"  On  the  contrary,  he  and  the  whole  world  cry  aloud 
for  my  healing,"  was  the  gentle  yet  decided  answer. 

"  Give  Paulus  his  way,  friend  Regulus,"  said  Julius. 
"  He  hath  a  strange  power." 

"  And  if  I  have,  the  Spirit  which  possesses  me,"  said 
Paulus,  stepping  over  to  Attilius  and  laying  his  hand 
upon  him,  "  declareth  that  the  young  man  shall  live  and 


THE  CORN  SHIP  OF  ALEXANDRIA       49 

some  day "  He  stopped  and  compressed  his  lips. 

"  Have  no  dark  fears,"  he  said  confidently,  "  he  shall 
not  die  but  live.  Yet  do  thou,  Lucas,  exercise  all  thy 
skill  over  this  goodly  youth,  for  I  see  that  he  shall  be 
profitable  to  me  some  day  for  the  Gospel." 

"  As  thou  sayest  it  shall  be,  beloved  Paulus,"  an- 
swered Lucas.  "  If  it  be  possible,  worthy  centurion,  do 
thou  order  that  a  fire  be  kindled  and  some  broth  heated. 
The  fever  is  broken,  I  take  it,  and  the  man  is  starving. 
The  dry  bread  and  water  which  is  our  fare  will  hardly 
suffice  for  such  as  he,  now." 

"  I  will  see  to  it,"  said  Julius,  "  if  I  have  to  fire  the 
ship." 

"  And  while  thou  speakest  of  food,"  said  Regulus 
grimly,  "  I  have  had  three  days  without  either  food 
or  drink,  and  even  that  dry  bread  and  turgid  water 
would  be  nectar  and  ambrosia  to  a  poor  soldier." 

"  Bear  with  me,"  said  Julius.  "  I  do  reproach  my- 
self that  I  should  have  forgot  thee,  and  as  thou  breakest 
thy  fast  thou  canst  tell  me  what  bringeth  thee  hither  and 
in  such  a  plight." 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   PRISONER   IN   COMMAND 

THE  condition  of  the  great  ship  Osiris  and  her  passen- 
gers had  been  bad  enough  on  the  day  on  which  they 
rescued  Caius  Attilius  and  his  men  from  the  raft,  but 
after  eleven  days  of  such  fierce,  long-continued  buffet- 
ing as  none  of  the  seamen  or  passengers  had  ever 
before  experienced,  which  indeed  made  a  total  of  four- 
teen days  of  storm  since  they  had  left  Fair  Havens, 
the  ship  was  in  a  frightful  condition.  They  had  got 
rid  of  everything  they  could  come  at  except  the  cargo. 
They  had  cut  away  the  mast  and  cast  overboard  the 
tackling  and  gearing,  even  the  scanty,  movable  furni- 
ture of  the  cabins  and  the  places  where  the  prisoners 
slept  between  decks  had  gone  in  a  vain  attempt  to 
lighten  the  ship.  The  cargo  would  be  the  last  thing  to 
be  jettisoned. 

With  the  pumps  and  buckets  they  had  bailed  the  leak- 
ing ship  until  absolute  and  entire  exhaustion  caused  a 
stoppage  of  the  work.  They  had  all,  from  the  highest 
to  the  lowest,  been  put  upon  the  shortest  of  short 
allowances  of  provisions  and  water  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  time.  Physical  weariness,  with  their  hunger  and 
thirst  and  their  pains  and  desires,  had  quite  obscured 
their  sense  of  peril.  Most  of  the  people  of  the  Osiris 
were  utterly  worn  out  and  were  equally  indifferent. 

50 


THE  PRISONER  IN  COMMAND  51 

Some  of  them  had  already  sunk  into  the  torpor  of 
silent  despair.  A  few  of  the  hardier  spirits,  the  stoics 
among  the  Romans  and  the  prisoners,  alone  manifested 
courage  and  willingness  to  keep  up  the  almost  hopeless 
fight  against  wind  and  sea  in  the  doomed  ship. 

Roman  pride  caused  Julius,  the  centurion,  and  Regu- 
lus,  the  primipilus,  to  keep  a  brave  front  toward  the 
disaster.  The  soldiers  looked  with  philosophic  con- 
tempt upon  the  despair  of  the  poorer  sort  among  the 
prisoners,  who  were  in  the  great  majority.  Ptolemeus, 
the  captain  of  the  ship,  with  the  pilots  who  seconded 
him  in  his  efforts  at  navigation,  preserved  a  certain 
amount  of  calm.  Lucas,  the  cool,  collected  physician, 
had  been  untiring  in  his  ministrations  to  all  who  needed 
such  medical  attention  as  his  skill  and  the  scanty  supply 
of  drugs  could  afford. 

But  the  spirit  that  was  highest  and  bravest  and 
noblest  of  all  the  little  company  was  that  of  the  Hebrew 
Paulus.  The  skill  of  Lucas  availed  much,  but  the  gentle 
smile  and  the  kindly  strength  and  confidence  and  cour- 
age that  emanated  from  the  personality  of  the  little 
Tarsian  were  a  thousandfold  more  precious  and  more 
helpful.  As  tireless  as  the  centurions,  or  the  ship's 
officers,  Paulus  went  to  and  fro  among  the  men,  dis- 
tributing words  of  comfort  and  cheer,  of  confidence  and 
assurance,  to  high  and  low  alike.  Most  of  the  soldiers 
met  his  advances  with  contemptuous  disdain ;  with  them 
his  Roman  citizenship  counted  for  little  except  as  a 
political  privilege.  In  their  eyes,  he  was  a  prisoner 
and  a  Hebrew;  a  member  of  that  arrogant  race  which 
regarded  all  other  peoples  with  hatred  and  contempt 


52     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

and  which  all  other  peoples  repaid  to  the  full  measure 
and  in  kind — especially  the  Romans. 

But  the  prisoners  looked  to  him  with  joy.  Few  of 
these  last  were  Hebrews.  They  were  a  motley  assem- 
blage representing  all  phases  of  life  and  all  varieties 
of  race  in  the  Orient:  Little-Asians,  tall,  blond  Gala- 
tians,  black-haired  Greeks;  swarthy  Syrians,  olive- 
cheeked  Egyptians,  fierce  Cappadocians  and  Bithynians, 
graceful  and  depraved  Cypriots ;  worshippers  of  every 
god  and  none;  committers  of  crimes  nameable  and  un- 
nameable,  offenders  against  the  massive  majesty  of 
Roman  law;  old  and  young,  high  and  low,  rich  and 
poor,  it  seemed  incredible  that  One  God  could  have  been 
the  Maker  of  them  all.  There  were  a  few  of  the  better 
sort  among  them,  men  like  Paulus,  who  were  being  car- 
ried Romewards  because  in  the  provincial  courts  they 
had  pleaded  their  Roman  citizenship  and  had  appealed 
unto  Caesar  for  his  personal  judgment,  as  indeed  they 
had  a  legal  right  to  do.  But  most  of  the  captives 
were  destined  to  bloody  deaths  in  the  arena,  in  hopeless 
condemnation — food  for  wild  beast  or  wilder  gladiator. 

Partly  because  of  his  privilege  as  a  Roman  citizen, 
by  birth  and  not  by  purchase,  but  more  on  account  of 
the  extraordinary  personality  of  the  man,  which 
strangely  impressed  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact, 
the  place  of  Paulus  among  the  principal  officers,  in- 
cluding Julius,  the  centurion,  was  unquestionable.  He 
came  and  went  freely  in  accordance  with  his  fancy.  He 
had  one  of  the  smaller  after  cabins  allotted  to  him,  which 
he  shared  with  Lucas.  His  age,  his  experience,  and 
an  indefinable,  but  not  the  less  recognisable  air  of 


THE  PRISONER  IN  COMMAND  53 

power  about  him  added  to  his  importance  and  estab- 
lished him  in  a  condition  rare  and  unusual  even  in  a 
prisoner  of  the  highest  rank  appealing  to  the  Emperor. 
And  that  position  and  its  privileges  he  entered  upon 
without  assertiveness  or  indeed  effort,  but  quite  natur- 
ally. 

Neither  Regulus  nor  Julius  was  of  gentle  blood, 
but  they  were  men  who  had  mingled  freely  and  upon 
such  terms  of  intimacy  as  their  soldier  life  permitted 
with  the  noblest  and  best,  not  only  of  Rome  but  of 
nearly  all  of  the  countries  of  the  world.  They  instinc- 
tively felt  themselves  in  the  presence  of  an  aristocrat, 
by  birth,  breeding,  and  character,  when  they  conversed 
with  Paulus,  although  he  was  of  the  simplest  in  his 
manner  and  bearing.  In  short,  he  lent  rather  than 
took,  honour  from  his  Roman  citizenship. 

That  Hebrew  Paulus  was  a  born  Roman  citizen  of  a 
wealthy  and  influential  family  of  the  important  city 
of  Tarsus ;  that  he  had  been  cast  off  by  his  family  and 
was  hated  by  his  nation  because  he  preached  the  Gospel 
of  one  Jesus  of  Nazareth  called  Christus,  who,  he  had 
heard  vaguely,  was  a  fanatic  who  had  been  executed 
upon  the  cross  by  Pontius  Pilate  when  he  was  procura- 
tor of  turbulent  Judea,  was  well  known  to  Julius.  In- 
deed, the  Hebrew  declared  that  the  same  Christus  had 
risen  from  the  dead!  That  was  the  frequent  burden 
of  his  converse,  and  he  claimed  it  was  because  of  that 
declaration  that  he  was  a  prisoner,  a  statement  which 
Julius  could  by  no  means  understand. 

In  conversation  with  Paulus  these  substantial  Romans 
had  not  failed  to  observe  that  he  was  a  man  of  sound 


54-  THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

sense  and  great  learning  in  discussing  any  other  sub- 
ject. It  was  evident  that  he  had  been  thoroughly  edu- 
cated and  had  enjoyed  a  wide  acquaintance  of  men 
and  manners.  Julius  came  to  the  conclusion  after  a 
time,  in  which  Regulus  joined,  when  he  came  to  know 
Paulus  better,  that  much  learning  had  unsettled  the 
mind  of  Paulus  on  the  one  subject  which  he  was  ever 
fain  to  discuss — the  Divinity  of  that  Christus,  and  that 
He  had  risen  from  the  dead  and  had  the  highest  place 
among  the  gods,  by  the  side  of  great  Jupiter  himself — 
so  they  dimly  apprehended  it.  And  yet  as  Paulus 
reasoned  with  them  about  these,  to  them,  impossible 
occurrences,  strange  ideas  would  come  into  the  mind  of 
Julius,  which  he  could  neither  explain  nor  explain 
away. 

Among  all  on  the  ship  there  was  one  especially  whose 
gratitude  to  the  Hebrew  sage  and  Greek  physician 
grew  with  every  passing  day.  The  determination  of 
Regulus,  enforced  by  the  command  of  Julius,  that  who- 
ever might  suffer  from  lack  of  food  it  should  not  be 
the  young  tribune,  had  caused  the  preparation  of 
reasonably  suitable  fare  with  which  to  build  up  the 
wasted  tissues  and  restore  the  impaired  strength  of 
Caius  Attilius.  With  difficulty  fires  were  kindled  each 
day  and  nourishing  broths  were  made  ready  for  the 
invalid. 

Contrary  to  the  prognostications  of  Lucas,  but  in 
accordance  with  the  deeper  insight  of  Paulus,  the  trib- 
une daily  gained  in  strength  and  spirit.  He  was  still 
immeasurably  weak,  but  each  day  marked  a  decided 
advance  toward  the  goal  of  restored  health  and  strength. 


THE  PRISONER  IN  COMMAND  55 

Happily  possessed  of  an  iron  constitution,  accustomed 
by  long  service  to  all  the  hardships  and  vicissitudes  of 
a  soldier's  life,  which  had  been  his  lot  for  so  long  a 
time,  with  a  body  clean  because  it  was  the  tabernacle 
of  a  soul  which  kept  itself  pure  amid  the  excesses  of 
the  day  and  generation — these  all  stood  him  in  good 
stead  now. 

He  had  gone  through  a  terrible  experience,  however. 
The  ghastly  fever  had  been  long  and  wasting,  the 
spear  thrust  in  the  side  had  drained  much  blood  from 
a  body  which  had  none  to  spare,  the  days  of  exposure 
and  starvation  upon  the  open  raft  had  brought  the 
vitality  of  the  man  to  the  very  lowest  ebb.  And  so, 
although  he  grew  daily  better  he  was  still  far  from 
well,  weak  and  ill  indeed,  and  scarcely  able  to  help 
himself  much. 

"  The  gods  have  been  good  to  thee,  noble  Attilius," 
said  old  Regulus,  standing  by  the  side  of  Paulus  as 
they  both  looked  down  upon  the  young  man  late  one 
evening  before  they  made  ready  for  the  night. 

"  Even  so,"  answered  the  Roman  weakly. 

"  And  in  thy  behalf  I  have  promised  an  ox  to  Her- 
cules, my  patron,  should  we  reach  Rome  safely." 

"What  sayest  thou  to  that,  O  wise  Paulus?"  asked 
Attilius,  looking  up  at  the  composed  face. 

"  The  God  I  serve,  young  tribune,"  replied  the  sage, 
"  delighteth  not  in  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats." 

"What  sacrifice  then?"  asked  the  invalid  wonder- 
ingly. 

"  In  the  sacrifice  of  men,"  was  the  startling  answer. 

"  Thou  and  thy  companion,  Lucas,  have  saved  my 


66     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

life,"  answered  the  tribune,  "  and  yet  I  like  not  human 
sacrifice.  Moloch,  Baal,  I  hate.  If  that  be  thy  re- 
ligion  " 

"  Nay,  thou  mistakest  me.  It  is  the  sacrifice  of  self 
that  I  preach.  That  we  should  resist  sin  even  unto 
blood.  That  we  should  suffer  all  things,  endure  all 
things,  bear  all  things  for  His  sake  and  for  the  sake 
of  those  who  are  made  in  His  image." 

"  And  what  is  this  strange  word  sin  of  which  thou 
speakest?  Is  it  disobedience  to  the  will  of  the 
gods?" 

"  By  Hercules,"  said  old  Regulus,  "  I  know  of  no 
greater  fault  in  a  soldier  than  disobedience  to  the  orders 
of  his  captain." 

"  Thou  hast  well  said,  disobedience  to  the  laws  of 
God,"  answered  Paulus,  looking  approvingly  at  the 
old  soldier,  "  that  is  sin — disobedience  to  the  moral 
law  involved  when  men  lie  and  steal  and  lust  and 
murder." 

"  Is  that  all?  " 

"  It  is  but  the  half  of  human  duty,"  answered  Paulus. 

"What  more?" 

"  He  I  serve  summed  it  up  thus,  '  Thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and  thy  neighbour 
as  thyself.'  " 

"But  if  thy  neighbour  be  thine  enemy?"  queried 
Attilius. 

" '  Love  your  enemies,  do  good  to  them  which  hate 
you,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  and  pray  for  them 
which  despitefully  use  you,'  "  quoted  the  Hebrew  with 
deep  solemnity. 


THE  PRISONER  IN  COMMAND  57 

"  Strange  advice  to  a  soldier,  old  man,"  commented 
Regulus  contemptuously.  "  If  we  loved  our  enemies, 
what  would  Rome  be?  " 

"  Heaven,"  answered  Paulus  gravely,  "  instead  of 
the  hell  it  now  is." 

"  I  know  not,"  said  Regulus,  "  where  the  Elysian 
Fields  do  lie,  but  with  money  in  his  purse,  a  roof  to 
cover  him,  good  wine  to  drink,  and  mayhap  a  woman 
to  cherish  him,  with  slaves  to  come  to  his  call, 
one  might  be  indifferent  happy  in  the  Imperial 
City." 

"  There  is  a  happiness  thou  knowest  not,  O  soldier," 
answered  the  other,  "  and  it  doth  not  consist  of  the 
things  of  this  earth." 

"  Maybe,  maybe,"  returned  the  Roman  imperturb- 
ably,  "  but  what  I  do  know  is  enough  for  a  veteran  of 
thirty  years  of  service.  But  the  tribune  groweth 
weary." 

"  It  is  even  so,"  said  Paulus,  laying  his  hand  upon 
the  head  of  the  young  man.  "  Good-night." 

"  Wait,"  said  Attilius,  "  what  is  the  name  of  this 
God  whom  thou  servest?" 

"  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  surnamed  Christus." 

"  I  shall  remember  His  name.  And  didst  thou  pray 
to  Him  for  me?  " 

"  Many  a  time." 

"  I  am  grateful.  I  shall  cause  a  statue  of  Him  to 
be  placed  in  the  Pantheon  and  sacrifices  to  be  made  in 
His  honour." 

Paulus  shook  his  head. 

"  That  thou  art  grateful  is  well,"  he  said,  "  but  my 


58     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

God  standeth  not  with  the  heathen  gods.  Alone  He 
shall  fill  the  Pantheon  and  the  world  even — some 
day." 

What  further  might  have  passed  between  the  two 
was  interrupted  by  a  wild  outburst  of  yells  outside  the 
cabin.  Above  the  thundering  of  the  waves  alongside 
and  the  beat  of  the  spray  upon  the  deck  rose  a  tumult 
of  cries  in  which  could  be  heard  above  all  the  words : 

"  Breakers !  " 

"  Breakers  on  the  right  hand !  " 

"  Breakers  ahead !  " 

The  inert  ship  and  her  hapless  company  were  sud- 
denly galvanised  into  action.  Lucas  thrust  his  head 
in  at  the  door.  Behind  him  stood  the  tall  form  of 
Julius. 

"  Paulus,"  began  the  latter  hurriedly,  "  where  art 
thou?" 

"  Here,  and  at  thy  service,"  answered  the  Hebrew, 
gathering  his  cloak  about  him  and  stepping  swiftly 
toward  the  door  and  thence  out  on  deck. 

Regulus  stopped  by  the  side  of  Attilius  for  a  mo- 
ment. 

"  Should  any  danger  impend,"  he  said,  "  trust  me  to 
see  thee  safely  through  with  my  life." 

He  then  turned  and  followed  the  others  out  on  deck. 
The  shipmaster  had  mounted  the  high  poop  with  one 
of  the  pilots.  They  were  staring  hard  to  leeward  at  a 
line  of  white  seen  imperfectly  yet  clearly  enough  to 
bespeak  what  it  was  in  the  darkness  of  the  stormy  night. 
Scarcely  an  eighth  of  a  mile  away  the  waters,  driven 


THE  PRISONER  IN  COMMAND  59 

by  the  mighty  gale,  were  leaping  over  a  reef  and 
throwing  columns  of  ghostly  white  spray  high  into  the 
sodden  air.  The  most  inexperienced  could  read  beneath 
those  white  beating  seas,  rocks,  which,  should  the  ship 
touch  them,  meant  the  instant  and  certain  destruction 
of  all. 

The  apathy,  the  weakness,  the  dull  indifference  that 
had  possessed  the  human  cargo  had  all  disappeared. 
Men  stood  and  stared,  a  few  silently,  most  crying 
loudly  and  gesticulating  violently,  others  running  aim- 
lessly to  and  fro  in  their  despair.  The  peril  was  so 
close,  the  drive  of  the  ship  although  slow  was  so  in- 
evitably toward  the  reef,  that  even  the  shipmaster  aban- 
doned hope. 

"  Thou  hast  said,  O  worthy  Paulus,"  began  the 
centurion,  "  that  we  should  escape  with  our  lives.  What 
thinkest  thou  of  that?  " 

"  Sirs,"  said  Paulus,  raising  his  voice  high  that  all 
might  hear,  "  be  of  good  cheer.  There  shall  be  no 
loss  of  any  man's  life  among  us,  although  the  ship  shall 
be  cast  away.  There  stood  by  me  this  night  the  angel 
of  God,  Whose  I  am  and  Whom  I  serve,  saying,  *  Fear 
not,  Paulus ;  thou  must  be  brought  before  Caesar :  and 
lo,  God  hath  given  thee  all  them  that  sail  with  thee.' 
Wherefore,  sirs,  be  of  good  cheer:  for  I  believe  God, 
and  it  shall  be  even  as  it  was  told  me." 

"  But  my  ship ! "  exclaimed  the  captain  of  the  vessel. 

"  Naught  can  save  her.  Before  us  is  some  island ; 
we  shall  be  cast  upon  it." 

"  The  will  of  the  gods  be  done,"  said  the  Greek 
captain  resignedly.  "  We  are  helpless." 


60     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Nay,  not  yet,"  interposed  Julius  stoutly,  "  there 
is  surely  something  we  can  do." 

"  Bid  one  of  the  seamen  sound  the  water  alongside," 
said  Paulus.  "What  is  the  hour?" 

"  It  is  near  the  middle  of  the  night,"  said  Regulus, 
joining  them.  "Are  we  lost?" 

"  Not  yet,"  was  the  reply  of  the  Hebrew. 

"How  much  water  have  we  alongside?"  cried  the 
captain  as  the  under  officer  came  aft  with  a  weighted 
line  dripping  wet  in  his  hand. 

"  Twenty  fathoms,  sir." 

"  In  what  depth  canst  thou  anchor  ?  "  asked  Paulus 
of  the  shipmaster. 

"  In  twenty,  if  necessary,  but  in  a  less  depth,  better 
still." 

"  We  approach  the  shore,"  said  Julius,  "  more 
nearly." 

"  It  is  still  some  distance  off,"  answered  Paulus. 
"  Head  the  ship  up  into  the  wind." 

"  Turn  her  with  thy  steering-oar,"  cried  the  ship- 
master to  the  pilot. 

"  Sound  again,  worthy  seaman,"  said  the  He- 
brew. 

"  The  water  shoals,  sir,"  cried  the  old  sailor,  after 
another  cast  of  the  leaded  line.  "  It  is  but  fifteen 
fathoms  deep  now." 

"  If  we  are  to  anchor  before  we  drift  upon  the  reef 
it  should  be  done  now,"  suggested  the  shipmaster, 
astonishingly  deferential  to  this  mysterious  Hebrew. 

Paulus  nodded  his  head,  and  answered: 

"  Cast  into  the  sea  from  the  stern  all  of  thy  great 


61 

tackling  and  every  anchor.  We  shall  scarce  hold  even 
then  against  the  mighty  drive  of  the  fierce  wind." 

"  Lay  aft  here,"  roared  the  captain.  "  Break  out 
the  anchors.  Worthy  centurion,"  he  turned  to  Julius, 
"  if  thy  men  would  help ; — the  anchors  are  heavy,  my 
men  are  few." 

"  Legionaries  to  me  !  "  cried  Julius. 

"  And  if  there  be  any  of  the  prisoners  who  would 
also  bear  assistance,"  cried  Paulus,  "  let  them  come 
hither." 

The  after  part  of  the  ship,  in  obedience  to  these 
hails,  was  soon  filled  with  men  eager  to  help.  Lanterns 
had  been  lighted.  In  the  dim  radiance  cast  they  busied 
themselves  with  the  heavy  anchors  and  the  great  tack- 
ling. Paulus  and  the  two  officers  stepped  back  and 
left  the  direction  to  the  shipmaster.  Under  his  skilful 
management,  the  anchors  were  at  last  got  overboard 
and  the  ship  brought  to.  The  thrust  of  the  sea  and 
the  wind  was  tremendous.  For  some  time  the  ship- 
master, the  pilots,  the  under  officers,  Paulus,  and  the 
two  centurions  hung  over  the  stern  staring,  but  after 
dragging  for  some  distance  the  anchors  caught,  the 
ropes  tautened,  and  the  ship  came  to  a  stand  but  a  short 
distance  from  the  breakers. 

"Will  they  hold,  thinkest  thou?  "  anxiously  asked 
Julius  of  the  commander  of  the  vessel  as  she  was  finally 
brought  to. 

"  I  know  not.  If  the  wind  freshen  I  think  it  hardly 
likely.  I  would  that  it  were  day." 

"  And  I,  too,"  answered  Regulus.  "  I  like  not  this 
fighting  in  the  dark;  give  me  the  sunlight  shining  on 


62     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

the  helm,  the  open  enemy  in  the  field.  I  hate  this  mist 
and  sea." 

"  What  dost  thou  propose  now  ?  "  asked  the  centurion 
of  the  captain. 

"  When  day  breaketh  and  we  see  where  we  are  I  shall 
endeavour  to  beach  the  ship,  if  there  be  any  beach 
among  these  reefs,  and  we  can  then  get  ashore.  The 
ship  is  low  in  the  water,  she  is  like  to  founder  during 
the  night." 

A  sailor  came  running  aft,  forcing  his  way  through 
the  crowd  of  men  upon  the  decks,  and  stepped  to  the 
side  of  his  captain. 

"  A  word  in  thine  ear,  sir,"  he  said. 

The  two  whispered  together  for  a  moment,  and  then 
both  walked  rapidly  forward. 

"  I  like  not  that,"  said  Paulus  after  a  little  while, 
seeing  that  the  shipmaster  did  not  return.  "  Let  us 
go  forward,  centurions." 

"  As  thou  wilt,"  answered  Julius.    "  Come,  Regulus." 

"  Ye  have  your  swords  with  you?  " 

"  If  we  are  to  die,"  answered  Julius,  "  we  prefer  to 
die  like  Romans  with  our  arms  at  hand." 

"  Who  knoweth  what  need  of  them  we  may  have " 

"  Keep  them  in  readiness,"  interposed  the  old 
Hebrew. 

"  I  thought  thou  wert  a  man  of  peace,  Paulus,"  com- 
mented Regulus  half  sarcastically  as  they  forced  their 
way  forward  through  the  excited  throng  upon  the  deck. 

"  And  so  I  am,  but  there  are  times  when — Ah ! " 
cried  the  Hebrew,  "  I  was  not  deceived !  Look  yon- 
der!" 


THE  PRISONER  IN  COMMAND  63 

He  pointed  forward  where  some  sailors  under  direc- 
tion of  the  master  had,  by  means  of  tackling,  raised 
the  small  boat  the  ship  carried,  and  had  her  already 
swung  in  the  air  about  to  drop  into  the  water  alongside. 

"What  meaneth  this?"  thundered  Julius,  springing 
into  the  midst  of  the  group. 

The  face  of  the  shipmaster  suddenly  paled. 

"  We — we  were  preparing  to  cast  another  anchor 
from  the  bows,"  he  faltered. 

"  Every  anchor  in  the  ship,"  said  Paulus  quietly, 
"  hath  been  cast  astern,  and  to  what  purpose  wouldst 
thou  anchor  by  the  bows  ?  " 

"  Jewish  dog ! "  cried  the  shipmaster,  turning  upon 
him  furiously.  "What  business  is  it  of  thine?  Art 
thou  in  command  of  the  ship  ?  " 

"  Silence !  "  thundered  Julius.  "  Thou  art  address- 
ing a  Roman  citizen,  and  if  there  be  dispute  as  to  who 
commandeth,  remember  that  I  am  here." 

"  And  I,"  added  Regulus. 

"  And  we  represent  Caesar  and  the  Empire." 

"  Sirs,"  said  Paulus,  "  take  no  thought  for  me,  but 
cut  away  the  boat." 

The  shipmaster  started  uneasily. 

"  We  shall  have  great  need  of  the  services  of  the  sea- 
men later,"  continued  Paulus  earnestly.  "  If  they 
abandon  the  ship  now  we  cannot  be  saved." 

"  Shall  we  not  need  the  smaller  vessel?  "  asked  Regu- 
lus. 

"  Nay,  she  could  not  float  in  such  a  sea,  and " 

"  Paulus  is  right,"  said  Julius. 

He  made  a  step  forward.     A  low  growl  rose  from 


64     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

the  men  clustered  about  him.  Regulus  unsheathed  his 
sword  and  sprang  to  his  friend's  side. 

"  What  ho !  Legionaries  to  me !  "  cried  Julius  at 
the  same  moment. 

Instantly  upon  his  call  came  the  soldiers.  They 
brushed  away  the  seamen  unceremoniously. 

"  Cut  me  those  ropes,"  said  Julius,  pointing  to  those 
which  held  the  boat  suspended. 

A  few  swords  flashed  suddenly  in  the  darkness,  and 
the  pinnace  fell  into  the  sea.  A  cry  of  despair  rose 
from  the  sailors. 

"  Silence,"  commanded  the  centurion.  "  Ye  thought 
to  desert  us.  If  we  perish,  so,  too,  shall  you,  and  lest 
there  be  no  mistake  about  it,  we  will  send  you  to  the 
nether  world  ahead  of  us  on  our  sword  points." 

"  Worthy  centurion "  began  the  shipmaster. 

"  And  thou  art  the  coward  in  chief,"  cried  Julius. 
"  Get  thee  to  thy  cabin,  nor  show  thy  face  until  I 
command.  By  Jupiter,  I  am  fain  to  run  thee  through 
where  thou  standest,  thou  white-cheeked  craven." 

The  centurion  made  a  threatening  movement  toward 
the  sea  captain.  The  latter  recoiled,  and  it  was  Paulus 
who  interposed. 

"  Said  I  not,"  he  remarked  gently,  "  that  God  hath 
given  me  all  in  the  ship?  Put  up  thy  sword.  And 
now  it  is  my  counsel  that  whatever  provision  remain 
be  served  out  generously  to  all  on  board.  We  have 
fasted  and  starved  for  fourteen  days,  saving  our  sup- 
ply, for  we  knew  not  when  it  would  be  replaced,  but  our 
voyage  endeth  here." 

"  It  is  well  said,"  answered  Julius.     He  turned  to 


THE  PRISONER  IN  COMMAND  65 

some  of  the  soldiers.  "  Go  to  the  storeroom  and  bring 
what  you  find  there  upon  the  deck,  and  be  speedy 
about  it." 

"  Give  me  leave,"  said  Paulus  a  short  time  after,  as 
the  men  came  back  bearing  cooked  and  salted  meat  and 
sacks  of  bread. 

He  took  some  of  the  bread  in  his  hands,  broke  it,  and 
blessed  it,  uttering  a  prayer  as  he  did  so,  and  then 
under  the  supervision  of  the  centurion  the  provisions 
were  divided  impartially  among  all  who  were  there. 

"  This  eating,"  said  Paulus,  as  the  division  pro- 
ceeded, "  is  for  your  health.  And  I  bid  you  be  of  good 
cheer,  for  there  shall  not  a  hair  fall  from  the  head 
of  any  one  of  you." 

After  they  had  eaten  and  drunk  their  fill,  having 
done  all,  they  waited  anxiously  upon  the  deck  for  the 
dawn  of  the  day. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  SIGN  AND  THE  BLESSING 

THEY  did  not  await  the  longed-for  day  in  idleness, 
however,  for  by  the  advice  of  the  Hebrew,  whose  quali- 
ties of  leadership  manifested  themselves  more  and  more 
as  the  danger  grew  greater,  the  prisoners,  under  the 
supervision  of  the  soldiers,  were  set  to  work  at  lighten- 
ing the  vessel.  A  good  deal  of  the  cargo  had  already 
been  cast  into  the  sea,  but  there  was  yet  left  aboard  a 
considerable  proportion,  and  as  the  ship  was  making 
water  fast,  and  as  her  drag  upon  the  anchors  was  tre- 
mendous, it  was  deemed  best  to  lighten  her  as  much  as 
possible.  Besides,  it  may  be  imagined  that  Paulus  and 
the  others  shrewdly  reasoned  that  men  busily  employed 
were  less  apt  to  be  troublesome  than  those  that  had 
nothing  whatever  to  do,  and  the  hard  work,  therefore, 
served  a  double  purpose. 

Paulus,  of  course,  attempted  no  supervision  of  such 
work.  That  was  efficiently  overseen  by  the  two  cen- 
turions, who  worked  in  perfect  harmony  together,  he 
of  the  higher  rank,  for  the  occasion,  cheerfully  sub- 
mitting himself  to  the  direction  of  him  charged  with 
the  safety  of  the  prisoners  and  the  movement  of  the 
ship.  So  the  long  hours  dragged  away  on  the  doomed 
vessel. 

The  wished-for  day  broke  at  last,  if  possible  colder 
and  more  stormy  than  ever.  At  the  first  glimpse  of 

66 


THE  SIGN  AND  THE  BLESSING  67 

dawn  eager  eyes  searched  the  shore.  There,  close  under 
their  lee,  lay  a  barren  ridge  of  rocks  extending  far  to 
the  eastward,  over  which  the  waves  rolled  furiously. 
They  had  brought  to  the  ship  just  in  time,  a  half  cable 
length  further  and  she  would  have  taken  ground  upon 
the  reef,  and  in  the  darkness  of  the  night  probably  most 
of  them  would  have  been  lost.  Forward  and  on  the 
right  hand  land  could  be  seen  dimly  in  the  grey  light. 
The  shores  were  low  and  in  general  rocky  and  ill  adapted 
for  beaching  the  ship.  The  country  was  desolate  and 
there  were  yet  no  signs  of  humanity. 

The  place  in  which  they  had  come  to  anchor  was  a 
deep  bay  enclosed  on  one  side  by  the  projecting  point 
upon  which  they  had  so  nearly  driven,  and  on  the  other 
side  by  a  rocky  islet  which  ran  almost  to  the  main  shore. 
Under  the  lee  of  the  islet,  which  lay  well  to  the  north- 
west of  them,  they  finally  discovered  a  stretch  of  sandy 
beach,  suitable  for  their  purpose.  Their  only  hope  of 
safety  lay  in  beaching  the  ship  there,  and  whatever 
they  were  to  accomplish  had  to  be  attempted  without 
delay,  for  the  vessel  was  about  to  founder  beneath 
their  feet. 

Summoning  the  pilot,  and  the  master  from  his  cabin, 
where  he  had  been  confined,  Julius  peremptorily  bade 
them  get  the  ship  under  way.  Regulus,  meanwhile, 
went  into  the  cabin  accompanied  by  some  of  the  men, 
and  presently  appeared  supporting  Caius  Attilius,  whom 
he  had  sworn  not  to  desert.  It  would  be  a  matter  of 
great  difficulty  to  get  the  yet  more  or  less  helpless 
tribune  ashore,  but  in  spite  of  himself,  although  he  be- 
lieved not  at  all  in  the  God  that  Paulus  preached,  there 


68     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

was  a  certain  amount  of  comfort  to  the  old  sailor  in 
the  assurance  he  had  received.  He  told  these  hopes  to 
young  Attilius,  who  remarked  that  if  he  had  to  die 
he  trusted  that  he  could  show  his  Roman  fortitude  as 
well  in  the  face  of  a  watery  grave  as  before  an  enemy's 
spear  thrust. 

In  order  to  give  the  ship  sufficient  way  the  shipmaster, 
after  carefully  examining  the  situation,  ordered  the 
smaller  sail  called  the  artemon  to  be  hoisted  on  the 
raking-mast  forward,  and  at  the  same  time  he  instructed 
the  seamen,  who  were  provided  with  sharp  axes  for  the 
purpose,  to  cut  away  the  straining  cables  aft.  There 
was  no  use  in  wasting  time  or  labour  in  weighing  or 
hauling  up  the  anchors.  The  ship  must  infallibly 
break  up  even  if  they  succeeded  in  running  her  ashore, 
and  to  cut  the  cables  was  the  simplest  and  the  quickest 
method  to  free  her.  From  the  condition  of  the  ship 
Ptolemeus  promptly  decided  that  there  was  pressing 
need  for  haste. 

At  a  given  signal,  therefore,  the  sailors  hoisted  the 
artemon,  hauled  aft  the  sheets,  the  anchors  were  cut 
away,  and  the  lashings  which  had  lifted  the  huge  rudder 
paddles  clear  of  the  water  and  secured  them  were  cast 
adrift.  The  wind  had  changed  slightly,  and  under  the 
drag  of  the  forward  sail  and  the  skilful  steering  of 
both  the  pilot  and  the  shipmaster  in  person,  the  Osiris 
drove  rapidly  toward  the  beach.  Narrowly  escaping 
the  rocks  on  one  hand  or  the  other,  she  finally  ran  into 
the  shallow  water  under  the  lee  of  the  islet  to  the  north- 
ward. The  wind  still  held,  and  they  were  enabled,  by 
the  comparative  cessation  of  the  huge  rollers  broken 


THE  SIGN  AND  THE  BLESSING  69 

by  the  islet,  to  control  her  course  somewhat  better  until 
they  passed  the  end  of  the  islet  and  got  the  full  force 
of  a  counter  current  which  ran  through  a  narrow 
channel  between  the  islet  and  the  mainland.  This  swift 
current  cast  the  head  of  the  ship  to  the  southwest,  but 
not  enough  to  make  void  the  nice  calculation  of  the 
steersmen,  for  in  a  moment  a  huge  roller  lifted  her  up 
and  hurled  her  forward  until,  with  a  frightful  con- 
cussion, she  buried  her  stem  in  the  sand  of  the  shore. 

It  was  some  little  distance  from  the  bow  of  the  ship 
to  the  land.  Some  of  the  older  soldiers  suggested  to 
Julius  that  they  now  kill  the  prisoners  out  of  hand  lest 
they  should  escape  in  the  confusion,  but  the  centurion 
disdained  the  counsel,  more  especially  on  account  of 
Paulus  than  of  any  other.  He  gave  command  accord- 
ingly that  all  who  could  swim,  prisoners,  soldiers,  sailors 
alike,  should  cast  themselves  into  the  sea  and  endeavour 
to  reach  the  land  as  best  they  could.  A  hardy  soldier 
was  the  first  to  make  the  attempt.  Throwing  aside 
shield  and  spear,  but  otherwise  accoutred  as  he  was, 
he  plunged  from  the  bow  of  the  ship  into  the  water  and 
struck  out  for  the  shore.  It  was  but  a  short  distance 
after  all,  and  his  success,  especially  when  he  turned  and 
waved  his  hand  in  triumph,  inspired  others,  and  soon 
the  water  was  black  with  bobbing  heads  and  tossing 
figures. 

Presently  the  decks  were  more  or  less  deserted.  There 
were,  perhaps,  two  score  men  who  could  not  swim,  the 
superior  officers  of  the  ship,  and  the  two  centurions, 
Paulus  and  Lucas  and  Caius  Attilius  left  on  board. 

"  Sirs,"  began  Ptolemeus  to  the  two  centurions,  "  I 


70 

have  done  everything  that  I  can.  The  ship  is  about  to 
break  up.  See  ye  any  reason  why  I  should  tarry 
longer  ?  " 

"  Go,"  said  Julius  contemptuously. 

"  Worthy  centurions,"  said  Caius  Attilius  as  the 
shipmaster  and  the  pilot  ran  forward,  "  trouble  your- 
selves no  longer  for  me." 

"  By  thy  leave,  Caius  Attilius,"  said  Regulus  bluntly, 
"we  will  get  thee  safe  to  shore,  and  thou,  Paulus,  and 
thy  companion,  Lucas." 

"  Give  thyself  no  concern  in  my  behalf,"  said  Paulus, 
"  I  can  swim.  My  life  had  been  forfeit  five  times  were 
it  not  so,  and  Lucas  as  well,  but  indeed  I  think  we 
would  all  better  remove  to  the  fore  part  of  the 
ship." 

At  that  moment  a  huge  wave  struck  the  vessel.  The 
weakened  fabric  began  to  give  way  under  the  hammer- 
ing, hard  and  long  continued.  Another  roller  followed, 
but  before  it  struck  the  counter  the  remainder  of  the 
people  still  upon  the  Osiris  were  huddled  together  in 
the  bows.  It  was  well  that  they  had  left  the  after  part, 
for  before  their  very  eyes  the  doomed  ship,  strained 
and  battered  beyond  measure,  fairly  broke  in  two  and 
a  whirling  mass  of  timbers  was  dashed  by  the  seas 
toward  the  shore.  This  proved  the  salvation  of  those 
who  could  not  swim,  for  they  made  haste  to  drop  into 
the  water,  and  seizing  whatever  afforded  them  support, 
were  carried  by  the  waves  toward  the  shore  until  they 
were  within  reach  of  their  companions,  who  formed 
human  chains  by  linking  hands  and  wading  out  into  the 
surf  to  the  rescue  of  the  helpless  ones  buffeted  to  and 


THE  SIGN  AND  THE  BLESSING          71 

fro  in  the  boiling  seas.  It  was  a  work  of  great  danger 
on  account  of  the  debris  of  the  wreck,  which  was  tossed 
about  by  the  waves,  but  the  soldiers  were  ever  men  of 
daring  and  there  were  skilful  and  brave  men  among  the 
prisoners,  too. 

Presently  all  were  safe  but  the  two  centurions,  the 
Hebrew,  the  Greek  physician,  and  the  young  man.  The 
remains  of  the  ship  were  now  lower  in  the  water  than 
ever.  The  sea  began  to  make  clean  breaches  over  what 
was  left.  Regulus  and  Julius  had  bound  two  or  three 
pieces  of  timber  together.  They  now  shoved  their 
hastily  improvised  raft  over  the  side.  Caius  Attilius 
was  laid  upon  it,  and  with  one  man  swimming  at  each 
side,  holding  him  on  it,  they  struck  out  for  the  shore, 
followed  by  Paulus  and  Lucas.  They  were  driven  back 
and  forth  by  the  oncoming  and  receding  waves,  but 
finally  aided  by  the  chain  of  soldiers,  who  were  resolved 
that  their  officers  should  not  perish,  the  whole  party 
successfully  made  a  landing.  Strange  to  say,  Attilius 
was  not  much  the  worse  for  this,  his  second  encounter 
with  the  angry  seas. 

They  had  scarcely  gained  the  shore  when  the  ship, 
even  that  portion  which  had  been  buried  in  the  sand, 
was  completely  torn  to  pieces.  By  Julius'  direction 
pieces  of  the  wreckage  were  gathered  in  piles  on  the 
shore  well  above  the  high-water  mark,  and  with  flint  and 
steel  and  some  dry  tinder  that  had  almost  miraculously 
escaped  wetting  in  the  possession  of  one  of  the  soldiers, 
huge  fires  were  soon  blazing,  around  which  they 
crowded,  warming  themselves  and  drying  their  wet  gar- 
ments, for  the  water  was  icy  cold. 


72     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

It  seemed  as  if  in  the  final  effort  which  had  wrecked 
the  ship  the  storm  had  at  last  spent  itself,  for  with 
as  much  suddenness  as  it  had  arisen,  the  tempest,  which 
had  blown  with  such  violence  for  fourteen  days,  now 
rapidly  died  away.  The  sun  came  out  to  their  great 
comfort.  By  Julius'  direction  the  prisoners  were 
gathered  together  and  placed  under  guard.  Scouting 
parties  were  sent  inland,  which  soon  came  in  touch  with 
the  inhabitants  of  the  island,  which  they  learned  was 
called  Melita  or  Malta.  The  whole  party  marched  in- 
land, therefore,  until  they  came  to  a  populous  town, 
the  seat  of  government. 

The  Roman  governor  of  the  island,  one  Publius,  re- 
ceived them  with  courtesy  and  kindness,  provided  food 
and  clothing  for  them,  and  quartered  them  according 
to  their  degree.  Paulus,  although  he  was  a  prisoner, 
with  Lucas,  was  by  the  request  of  Julius  given  the 
same  comfortable  treatment  and  enjoyed  the  same  pleas- 
ant hospitality  which  was  meted  out  to  the  two  cen- 
turions and  the  tribune.  And  when  the  governor  of  the 
island  heard  that  one  of  the  vipers,  with  which  the 
island  abounded,  whose  bite  was  deadly,  had  fastened 
upon  the  hand  of  Paulus  as  he  had  gathered  sticks  for 
the  fire  on  the  beach,  and  that  the  Hebrew  had  received 
no  hurt  from  the  serpent,  merely  shaking  the  reptile 
into  the  fire,  he  even  reverenced  him  as  enjoying  in 
some  strange  way  the  favour  of  the  gods ! 

It  chanced  that  the  father  of  the  governor  lay  within 
the  palace  sick  of  a  fever  and  a  bloody  flux.  Bringing 
Paulus  to  the  bedside  of  the  sick  man,  Publius  requested 
his  good  services  in  behalf  of  the  invalid.  Paulus  laid 


THE  SIGN  AND  THE  BLESSING  73 

his  hands  upon  him  and  prayed,  and  the  fever  presently 
left  him,  the  flux  was  stopped,  and  the  man  was  made 
well.  The  fame  of  this  miraculous  cure  spread  over 
the  island,  and  many  sick  were  brought  and  laid  at  the 
feet  of  this  strange  wonder  worker  and  he  healed  them 
all.  And  in  this  work  Lucas  gave  much  timely  and  val- 
uable counsel  and  assistance. 

In  two  weeks  Caius  Attilius  was  able  to  travel.  His 
rank  and  his  wealth  procured  for  him  the  use  of  a  small 
ship  to  take  him  to  Sicily.  Attended  by  Regulus  and 
those  of  the  soldiers  of  the  Fourteenth  Legion  who  had 
survived  the  wreck  of  the  Isis,  Attilius  embarked  for 
home,  for  that  Rome  from  which  he  had  been  so  long 
absent.  Julius,  with  Paulus  and  Lucas  and  the  other 
prisoners  and  the  soldiers  of  the  Augustan  band,  were 
forced  to  tarry  longer  for  the  opening  of  navigation 
and  a  larger  ship. 

The  Roman  was  not  unmindful  of  the  kindness  he 
had  received  from  the  Hebrew. 

"  Thou  goest  to  Rome  as  a  prisoner  to  be  tried,"  he 
said  as  he  bade  him  farewell.  "  I  know  not  what  be 
these  gods  whom  thou  servest,  O  wise  Paulus,  but  thou 
shalt  see  that  a  Roman  is  not  ungrateful.  If  ever 
thou  needest  a  friend,  I  pray  thee  call  upon  me." 

"  And  upon  me  as  well,"  added  Regulus,  "  although 
my  influence  is  but  small  as  I  am  but  a  plain,  blunt,  old 
soldier  seeking  retirement." 

"  I  thank  thee,  noble  Attilius,"  answered  Paulus, 
"  and  thee  also,  worthy  centurion.  Although  my  Mas- 
ter and  Lord  is  able  to  deliver  me  even  from  the  lions' 
mouths  if  need  be,  I  am  not  foolish  enough  to  disdain 


74     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

the  help  of  men,  and  it  may  hap  that  I  shall  call  upon 
thee." 

"  Good,"  said  the  tribune  heartily.  "  And  thou,  too, 
Lucas,  I  would  fain  help.  Thou  hast  served  me  well. 
That  I  am  alive  at  this  hour  is  in  no  small  part  due 
to  thy  skill,  I  am  sure." 

"  Thou  honourest  me,  my  lord,"  said  the  gentle  physi- 
cian. "Like  my  teacher  and  leader,  Paulus,  I  ask 
nothing  for  myself,  but  shouldst  thou  meet  with  this 
appeal  from  any  in  trouble,  I  pray  thee  heed  it  for  the 
sake  of  what  we  may  have  done  for  thee." 

As  he  spoke,  with  'Nfingers  Lucas  traced  in  the  air 
the  outlines  of  a  fish.  The  two  Romans  stared  at  the 
Greek  in  some  amazement. 

"  Unless  I  am  greatly  mistaken,"  said  Attilius,  "  thou 
hast  traced  a  fish  with  thy  fingers." 

"  It  is  even  so,"  answered  the  physician. 

"  And  what  meaneth  it  ?  " 

"  It  is  the  sign  of  those  who  think  as  we." 

"  I  understand  it  not,"  said  the  tribune. 

"  Perhaps  some  day,"  said  Paulus,  smiling,  "  thou 
shalt  know." 

"  Perhaps.  Meanwhile  the  sign  itself  is  plain,  and 
for  your  sakes  I  will  remember." 

"  And  I,"  added  Regulus. 

"  I  am  an  old  man,"  said  Paulus,  lifting  his  hand, 
"  and  though  like  thee  I  am  a  Roman  citizen,  I  come  of 
a  race  between  which  and  the  proud  people  of  Rome  but 
little  love  passeth,  yet  thou  canst  take  an  old  man's 
blessing." 

Something  in  the  gesture  and  the  tone  of  Paulus 


THE  SIGN  AND  THE  BLESSING  75 

affected  Attilius  strangely.  He  bent  his  head,  and 
Paulus  laid  his  hand  upon  it.  With  upturned  face  he 
murmured  strange  words.  There  was  something  in  the 
scene  which  moved  Regulus  strangely.  He  had  been 
standing  at  ease.  He  gathered  himself  together  and 
his  hand  touched  his  helmet  in  military  salute.  It  was 
his  way  of  acknowledging  the  presence  of  something 
which  he  could  not  understand. 
And  so  they  parted. 


BOOK  II 
MASTER  AND  SLAVE 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  BLOCK  OF  PHRYX 

NERO  was  at  Naples  when  Attilius  and  Regulus  finally 
arrived  at  Rome.  In  view  of  the  hard  experiences 
of  the  tribune  and  his  weakened  condition  the  Im- 
perator  sent  back  word  by  the  messenger  who  an- 
nounced their  arrival  and  the  loss  of  the  ship  that 
Attilius  should  await  the  return  of  the  court  to  the 
capital  city  to  make  his  final  and  complete  report.  The 
order  naturally  included  Regulus,  who,  pending  the 
settlement  of  his  affairs  and  his  final  retirement  from 
active  military  service,  cheerfully  accepted  the  hospi- 
tality generously  tendered  him  by  the  young  tribune. 

For  some  days  Attilius  rested  quietly  at  home.  With 
restored  health  he  busied  himself  with  his  private  affairs. 
He  had  been  absent  from  Rome  for  a  long  time,  and 
there  was  much  to  be  done  in  the  way  of  reordering 
his  household  after  the  fashion  which  was  usually  main- 
tained by  men  of  his  rank  and  circumstances.  By 
inheritance  and  good  management  and  through  his  share 
in  the  plunder  of  many  wars  he  was  now  the  possessor 
of  a  very  considerable  fortune,  well  invested  and  highly 
productive.  He  was  not  one  of  the  richest  men  in 
Rome  by  any  means.  He  could  not  vie  with  the  philos- 
opher Seneca,  for  instance,  who  had  been  Nero's  tutor, 
and  the  brightness  of  whose  fame  was  already  somewhat 
dimmed  by  his  unbounded  avarice ;  nor  could  he  in  any 

79 


80     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

way  compare  with  Pallas,  one  of  Nero's  freedmen,  the 
richest  man  of  his  time ;  nevertheless,  his  means  were 
far  above  the  average.  He  had  neither  father,  mother, 
sister,  nor  brother,  and  he  could  afford  to  indulge  his 
every  fancy. 

Attilius  had  served  many  years  with  the  army,  al- 
though he  was  still  in  his  late  twenties.  He  had  lived 
a  clean,  decent  life,  and  a  hard  one,  and  he  desired  now 
to  take  his  proper  place  in  society  and  to  enjoy  him- 
self there.  That  desire  for  pleasant  things  did  not  take 
a  low  turn.  He  looked  with  disgust  and  even  horror 
at  the  practices  which  were  prevalent  in  Rome,  espe- 
cially in  the  class  with  which  he  naturally  affiliated. 
There  was  something  of  the  ancient  spirit  of  the  Roman 
of  the  best  days  of  the  Republic  about  him.  He  sol- 
emnly swore  by  the  gods  that  he  would  not  descend  to 
the  depths  of  iniquity  so  lightly  sounded  by  practically 
all  of  his  acquaintance.  On  the  other  hand,  he  did  not 
propose  by  any  undue  austerity  to  pose  as  a  censor  of 
manners  or  morals.  Others  might  do  as  they  pleased. 
It  was  not  his  affair.  He,  at  least,  made  up  his  mind 
to  be  clean  and  decent  and  a  gentleman  when  cleanli- 
ness and  decency  were  rare  and  gentlemen  rarer  still, 
especially  among  those  who,  technically  at  least,  were 
entitled  to  the  term. 

As  he  gained  strength,  the  first  business  that  Attilius 
undertook  was  the  refurnishing  of  his  house.  He  was 
largely  entertained,  of  course,  and  he  could  not  but 
contrast  the  old-fashioned  character  of  his  dwelling  and 
his  household  goods  with  the  magnificently  furnished, 
modern,  and  convenient  houses  of  his  friends.  The 


THE  BLOCK  OF  PHRYX  81 

walls  of  the  atrium  sadly  needed  redecorating,  for  in- 
stance, he  decided.  New  mosaics  should  replace  the 
pavement,  which  had  become  broken  in  many  places. 
The  hangings  in  the  doorways  were  old  and  faded, 
the  fountain  in  the  peristyle  was  of  a  fashion  popular 
at  least  two  generations  back.  And  new  furniture  was 
needed  everywhere. 

The  tribune's  most  serious  requirement,  however,  was 
a  complete  establishment  of  household  servants — slaves, 
that  is.  When  he  had  started  for  the  wars  some  ten 
years  before,  he  had  disposed  of  all  except  a  few  old 
family  retainers,  and  he  now  commissioned  his  freedman 
and  major-domo,  Pheidippides,  an  able  and  devoted 
Greek  of  mature  years,  to  buy  many  more,  in  the  pur- 
chase of  which  Attilius  took  a  lively  interest.  One  of 
his  first  visits,  therefore,  was  to  the  slave  market.  It 
had  been  counted  a  fortunate  lot  for  a  slave  to  be 
owned  by  Sabinus  Attilius,  the  father  of  young  Caius. 
In  general,  the  slaves  in  Rome  were  horribly  treated. 
They  were  scarcely  regarded  as  human  beings  even  by 
the  best  of  owners,  and  they  certainly  did  not  receive  the 
same  care  as  a  favourite  horse,  a  milch  cow,  a  blooded 
bull,  or  a  Molossian  hound.  For  one  thing,  most  of 
these  latter  cost  more  than  an  ordinary  slave. 

Human  chattels  were  a  drug  on  the  market.  It  was 
a  poor  patrician  household  indeed  which  did  not  boast 
of  several  hundred  for  domestic  service  alone,  and  when 
to  these  were  added  artificers  and  cultivators  on  country 
estates,  for  every  great  household  was  a  little  world 
in  itself  and  produced  practically  everything  needed 
for  the  inmates,  the  number  speedily  rose  into  the 


82     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

thousands.  Attilius  had  no  idea  how  many  slaves  he 
owned,  but  he  knew  that  there  were  not  nearly  enough 
to  enable  him  to  maintain  the  standard  set  by  his  neigh- 
bours on  the  Aventine,  where  his  house  was  situated. 

Accompanied  by  Pheidippides,  who  was  his  household 
supervisor  and  master  of  the  slaves,  an  old  and  valued 
attendant  of  the  family,  he  made  extensive  purchases 
in  the  slave  markets,  much  more  extensive  indeed  than 
his  inclinations  suggested,  but,  advised  by  this  man  and 
by  friends  old  and  new,  he  bought  until  even  they 
were  convinced  that  he  had  enough. 

He  had  become  unused  to  the  degree  of  personal 
service  slaves  rendered,  for  a  Roman  household  was  now 
so  ordered  that  a  man  had  a  slave  for  every  possible 
function.  Indeed,  slaves  usually  had  but  one  duty,  and 
when  that  was  performed  they  passed  the  rest  of  the 
day  in  an  idleness  which  was  not  good  for  them.  For 
instance,  Attilius  was  told  that  he  must  have  a  slave 
whose  sole  task  was  to  arrange  the  folds  of  his  toga 
when  he  put  it  on  over  his  tunic,  a  vestiplica  so  called, 
and  this  slave  was  always  a  woman,  as  women  were 
rightly  believed  to  possess  more  ability  in  draping 
gracefully  the  heavy  and  somewhat  clumsy  folds  of  the 
typical  Roman  garment.  There  was  another  slave,  a 
man,  whose  sole  duty  it  was  to  put  on  his  sandals,  or, 
in  case  he  elected  to  wear  them,  his  black  leather  boots 
with  the  silver  crescent  of  his  senatorial  condition.  And 
for  every  conceivable  service  there  was  a  different  man 
or  woman. 

The  slave  market  was  a  very  interesting  place.  There 
was  usually  spirited  competition  for  strong,  sturdy 


THE  BLOCK  OF  PHRYX  83 

men,  for  graceful  boys,  for  learned  philosophers,  for 
witty  poets,  or  story  tellers,  or  skilful  artisans,  or 
mechanics,  and,  above  all,  for  beautiful  women.  Bands 
of  unfortunate  captives,  strange  peoples  from  the  far- 
flung  frontiers  of  the  Empire,  were  constantly  arriving 
at  the  Capital.  Rich  men  collected  denizens  of  different 
lands  as  they  collected  fine  dogs,  or  horses,  or  jewels, 
or  embroidered  garments,  or  Myrrhine  vases.  Slaves 
were  invariably  exhibited  without  clothes  at  the  request 
of  any  buyer,  and  their  good  and  bad  physical  points 
noted  and  discussed  as  if  they  had  been  animals.  Some- 
times frantic  women  fought  for  their  modesty  and  des- 
perate men  for  their  dignity  in  the  slave  market.  At 
such  times  the  sport  was  almost  as  good  as  in  the 
Circus,  the  assemblage  bursting  into  uproarious  laugh- 
ter, watching  the  conflict  between  the  slave  dealers  and 
their  attendants  and  the  slaves  with  evident  relish  and 
appreciation. 

Attilius  was  sometimes  shocked  at  these  spectacles, 
but  he  was  enough  of  a  Roman  and  of  a  soldier  to 
regard  them  on  the  whole  with  a  certain  amount  of 
arrogant  indifference.  With  Seneca  and  some  of  the 
more  advanced  thinkers  of  the  time  he  was  prepared 
to  admit  that  slaves  were  human  beings  and  had  some 
rights  which  should  be  respected  even  by  those  who 
owned  them.  He  had  long  since  learned  to  control  a 
naturally  fierce  temper,  and  he  had  a  highly  developed 
Roman  sense  of  justice  and  order  which  extended  even 
to  his  slaves.  In  many  respects  the  pleasant  traditions 
of  the  rule  which  had  made  his  father's  slaves  envied 
would  probably  be  perpetuated  in  his  regime;  yet  his 


84.  THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

long  military  training  had  made  him  severe  and  exact- 
ing. He  required  absolute  obedience  and  prompt,  un- 
questioned service  and  efficiency,  without  discussion  of 
any  sort,  and  he  could  be  ruthlessly  hard  on  occasion 
when  any  of  these  things  were  lacking. 

One  morning,  a  short  time  after  his  arrival,  he  was 
informed  by  a  messenger  from  old  Phryx,  a  vendor 
of  slaves  with  whom  he  had  already  dealt  largely,  that 
a  shipload  of  blond  Iceni  from  the  far-off  island  of 
Britain  had  been  received  recently  which  included  some 
unusual  specimens  of  human  merchandise.  With  his 
friends,  Senecio,  Vestinus,  Cotta,  Pollio,  and  others  of 
youthful  and  aristocratic  Rome  who  had  received  sim- 
ilar messages,  he  had  accordingly  repaired  to  the  slave 
market,  attended  as  usual  by  old  Regulus  and  a  number 
of  clients. 

On  one  side  of  the  court  upon  a  low  platform  were 
massed  a  number  of  tall,  fair-haired  men  and  women. 
The  buyers  walked  up  and  down  in  front  of  them,  and 
if  any  of  the  poor  captives  caught  the  fancy  of  the 
prospective  purchaser,  the  man  or  woman,  as  the  case 
might  be,  would  be  put  upon  the  block  and  offered  for 
sale  at  auction.  The  demeanour  of  the  captives  was 
always  interesting.  Most  of  them  were  of  the  poorer 
sort  of  people — the  great  ones  usually  being  reserved 
for  triumphal  processions  or  private  sales — and  they 
were  usually  cowed  and  broken  by  the  misery  of  their 
position.  But  these  people  were  different.  There  was 
a  haughty,  splendid  contempt  in  the  faces  of  many  of 
them.  They  were  evidently  children  of  freedom.  The 
men  were  sturdy  specimens  and  some  of  the  women  were 


THE  BLOCK  OF  PHRYX  85 

beautiful.  They  were  all  good  to  look  at,  but  poor 
materials  for  servitude.  It  was  probable  that  the  men, 
most  of  them,  would  be  sent  to  the  gladiatorial  schools 
and  the  women  bought  by  patricians  who  had  country 
estates,  where  a  sturdy  form  and  fine  physique  indicated 
they  could  be  worked  to  advantage,  if  they  were  not 
to  be  used  for  breeding  purposes.  In  households  men 
preferred  Greeks  or  Egyptians  as  being  more  deft  and 
more  graceful,  more  adapted  to  the  refinements  of  civ- 
ilised life  and  society. 

The  bidding,  therefore,  finally  languished.  Senecio, 
one  of  the  most  dissolute  and  abandoned  of  the  younger 
Romans,  at  last  called  to  Phryx,  the  slave  dealer,  a  de- 
generate Greek. 

"  We  are  tired  of  these  sullen-faced,  beetle-browed, 
impudent  animals ;  of  these  big,  thick-limbed,  stupid, 
clumsy  women,  these  draught  horses  and  brood  mares. 
If  thou  hast  anything  of  value  or  price,  bring  it  for- 
ward, otherwise  we  will  go.  Say  I  not  well,  gentlemen?  " 

"  Well  indeed,"  answered  Vestinus. 

"  From  the  lips  of  folly  fall  words  of  wisdom,"  cried 
Pollio,  who  was  as  caustic  as  he  was  vicious. 

"  As  for  me,"  began  Attilius,  "  I  weary  of  the  scene. 
I  am  going  to  the  Forum.  Paetus  Thrasea  makes  a 
noble  plea  for  a  client  this  morning,  I  am  told,  and  I 
would  fain " 

"  Wait,  noble  sirs,"  pleaded  the  slave  dealer  anxiously, 
"and  thou  especially,  brave  tribune." 

Caius  Attilius  had  been  a  frequent  purchaser  in  the 
last  few  weeks  and  he  was  therefore  treated  with  special 
consideration. 


86     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  I  have  something  well  worth  your  while,"  the  vil- 
lainous old  rascal  continued  with  insinuating  sugges- 
tion. "  I  have  reserved  her  for  the  last.  It  is  a  maid 
from  wave-washed  Britain,  with  the  sunlight  of  the 
island  in  her  hair,  the  blue  of  the  sea  in  her  eyes,  the 
grace  of  Atalanta  in  her  limbs,  the  figure  of  Hebe,  the 
face  of  Juno !  I  vow  that " 

"  By  the  goddesses  he  cites,"  cried  Pollio,  "  our 
worthy  trafficker  in  flesh  and  blood  is  turned  poet." 

"  The  sight  of  British  Gwenna,"  returned  the  slave 
dealer  cunningly,  "  would  make  a  poet  even  of  the 
bitterest  cynic  in  all  Rome.  If  it  were  not  that  I 
must  make  my  profit  I  would  reserve  her  for  myself, 
sirs." 

"  And  that  combination,"  sneered  Pollio,  "  would  put 
poetry  and  harmony  among  the  lost  arts  at  once." 

"  Produce  thy  paragon  without  further  discus- 
sion," said  Attilius  peremptorily,  "  and  let  us  be  gone." 

For  answer  the  slave  dealer  clapped  his  hands.  Two 
attendants  ran  to  the  entrance  of  an  inner  apartment, 
drew  aside  a  curtain,  disappeared,  and  presently  came 
back  with  a  woman  between  them.  She  came  unwillingly, 
with  obvious  reluctance,  yet  the  grasp  of  the  two  Nu- 
bians who  had  been  sent  to  fetch  her  allowed  no  hesita- 
tion on  her  part.  The  old  Greek  slave  dealer  had  a 
fine  eye  for  the  dramatic.  Hanging  from  the  door  was 
a  deep  curtain  of  Tyrian  purple,  a  rich,  royal  shade 
of  blue.  The  slave  market  of  Phryx  was  the  richest 
and  most  exclusive  afforded  by  the  city.  The  posts 
and  lintel  of  the  doorway  were  of  white  marble. 

The  Nubians,  naked  save  for  a  loin  cloth,  were  out- 


I  have  reserved  her  for  the  last.     It  is  a  maid  from 
wave-washed  Britain." 


THE  BLOCK  OF  PHRYX  87 

lined  against  the  marble.  The  slave  between  them, 
with  the  curtain  for  a  background,  was  vested  in  a  short, 
immodest  tunic  of  silver  tissue  which  fell  barely  to 
her  knees.  The  sunlight  shone  full  upon  her.  She 
was  the  fairest  woman  that  Attilius  had  ever  looked 
upon.  Her  eyes  were  blue  as  the  sea  that  washed  the 
shores  of  her  native  island,  and  her  hair  was  gold,  shot 
with  deeper  tinges  of  rich,  reddish  brown.  What  of 
her  white  figure  could  be  seen  was  exquisitely  propor- 
tioned. She  was  a  tall  woman,  taller  than  most  of 
the  Romans  in  the  courtyard,  and  indeed,  thought 
Attilius,  who  was  above  the  medium  height,  she  could 
look  even  at  him  with  level  brows.  Her  hands  and  arms 
and  legs  might  have  served  as  models  for  Praxiteles. 
Her  feet,  albeit  not  so  small  as  those  of  the  Roman 
women,  were  exquisite  in  their  proportions,  and  the 
silver-laced  sandals  she  wore  accentuated  their  beauty. 
Here  was  no  slender  girl  like  the  customary  Greek  or 
Egyptian  offerings,  but  a  woman,  though  a  very  young 
one,  nobly  and  perfectly  planned,  just  passing  out  of 
girlhood  apparently.  In  spite  of  the  carefully  calcu- 
lated and  suggestive  immodesty  of  her  habit,  she  bore 
herself  with  an  immense  dignity,  a  disdain  almost 
royal  in  spite  of  her  youth  and  immaturity.  Phryx 
had  spared  no  pains  in  her  adornment.  Her  tunic,  san- 
dals, and  the  binding  of  her  hair  were  tissue  of  silver, 
and  well  served  to  enhance  the  appeal  which  he  in- 
tended she  should  make. 

As  she  was  held  upright  between  the  slaves,  confront- 
ing the  people  in  the  courtyard,  colour  flamed  fiercely 
in  her  cheeks.  She  lifted  her  beautiful  head  haughtily, 


88     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

and  indomitable  spirit  shone  in  her  eyes.  A  low  murmur 
of  approval  came  from  the  bystanders. 

"  She  might  be  an  Augusta,"  said  one. 

"  She  carrieth  herself  like  a  Roman,"  cried  another. 

"  But  few  Roman  women  are  so  tall  and  so  splendid," 
said  a  third. 

"  It  is  but  a  girl,"  remarked  another,  "  but  what 
promise  of  royal  womanhood  !  " 

"  Said  I  not  right,  worthy  gentlemen  ?  "  cried  the 
slave  dealer,  rubbing  his  hands  with  joy. 

"  Right,  indeed,"  answered  Senecio.  "  Hath  she  been 
sold  before,  Phryx?  " 

"  No,  sirs,"  answered  the  slave  dealer.  "  She  was 
captured  a  few  months  since  after  the  defeat  of  Boadi- 
cea,  queen  of  the  Iceni.  Her  father,  who  was  killed 
in  the  battle,  was  a  great  noble  among  those  barbarians. 
The  centurion  to  whom  she  was  awarded,  knowing  her 
value,  protected  her  carefully.  She  cometh  to  you  as 
pure  as  the  snow  upon  the  Alps." 

"  Thou  hast  not  chalked  her  feet,"  observed  Ves- 
tinus. 

"What  will  you,  sirs?"  answered  the  slave  dealer. 
"  Should  I  desecrate  a  foot  like  that  with  yellow  chalk? 
Nay,  thou  mayest  take  my  word  for  it  that  she  is  what 
I  say  and  for  the  first  time  offered  for  sale.  There  is 
not  another  slave  dealer  in  Rome  hath  such  a  piece  of 
merchandise  as  this." 

"  I  believe  thee,"  answered  Pollio.  "  Put  her  on  the 
block,  strip  off  her  tunic,  and  then  we  will  see  if  what 
is  hidden  agreeth  with  what  is  visible.  Meanwhile,  I 
start  the  bidding  with  ten  thousand  sesterces." 


THE  BLOCK  OF  PHRYX  89 

"  Ten  thousand  sesterces ! "  exclaimed  the  slave 
dealer,  motioning  to  the  Nubians.  "  Thou  dost  but  jest, 
noble  Pollio ;  for  such  a  woman  as  this  that  price  were 
almost  an  insult." 

"  Nevertheless,  it  is  the  bid  I  make  in  the  beginning," 
answered  the  other  calmly. 

"  I  will  make  it  fifteen,"  put  in  Senecio. 

"  Twenty !  "  cried  out  a  third  voice. 

"Wait,  gentlemen;  wait  until  she  is  on  the  block," 
said  the  delighted  old  slave  dealer. 

The  block  was  a  huge  stone  about  six  feet  square 
elevated  a  foot  or  two  above  the  pavement.  Although 
the  unfortunate  woman  clenched  her  hands  and  stiffened 
her  knees,  she  was  rapidly  forced  across  the  courtyard 
and  lifted  unceremoniously  upon  the  block  and  left  there 
alone  by  the  slaves. 

"  Now  then,  off  with  her  tunic,"  cried  Senecio,  "  and 
let  us  look  at  her  as  she  is." 

"  Aye,"  cut  in  Pollio  caustically,  "  clothes  may  con- 
ceal as  many  things  as  speech  on  occasion." 

To  remove  that  tunic  was  a  privilege  which  the  slave 
dealer  reserved  for  himself  in  this  instance.  With  the 
air  of  an  Hyperides  about  to  unveil  a  Phryne  he  walked 
to  the  stone  platform  and  laid  his  hand  upon  the  single 
garment  the  poor  girl  wore,  protesting  by  all  his  vicious 
gods  that  in  this  case  there  was  no  defect  to  conceal 
as  all  these  noble  Roman  gentlemen  should  soon  see  for 
themselves.  The  woman  had  not  yet  spoken  a  word, 
but  it  was  quite  evident  that  whether  she  understood 
the  Latin  language  or  not,  she  divined  what  was  toward, 
for  doubling  her  fist  she  struck  the  approaching  slave 


90     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

dealer  a  violent  blow  on  the  chest.  He  fell  backward 
before  the  utterly  unexpected  thrust,  but  still  retained 
for  a  moment  his  hold  upon  her  garment.  As  he  rolled 
over  on  the  ground  he  tore  the  light  silver  tissue  from 
her  shoulder.  Instantly  the  girl  caught  it  with  her 
hand,  drew  it  together,  and  stood  at  bay,  her  bosom 
heaving,  her  breath  coming  short,  her  face  pale,  her 
eyes  blazing.  But  that  one  glimpse  of  the  naked  shoul- 
der had  whetted  all  the  base  desires  of  the  degenerate 
Romans. 

"  Off  with  the  tunic,"  they  cried  in  unison. 

"  To  it  again,  Phryx,"  exclaimed  Vestinus. 

"  Let  not  a  woman  master  thee,  O  son  of  Achilles," 
sneered  Pollio  mockingly. 

Presently,  as  the  clamour  died  away,  the  object  of 
all  this  persecution  herself  spoke,  to  the  great  surprise 
of  all. 

"  Sirs,"  she  began  in  a  low,  musical  voice,  speaking 
Latin  with  a  charming  accent,  "  I  am  the  f  reeborn 
daughter  of  a  prince  of  the  Iceni.  My  father  was 
killed  in  defence  of  our  forest  glades,  following  our 
unhappy  Queen  Boadicea  in  a  combat  against  you 
Romans.  By  your  gods,  put  not  this  shame  upon  me. 
Have  pity." 

"  Pity ! "  laughed  Senecio.  "  Pity  in  the  slave 
market ! " 

"  Thou  baggage,  strip  off  thy  tunic,"  growled  the 
angry  slave  dealer,  who  had  by  this  time  struggled  to 
his  feet,  raising  his  hand  threateningly  as  he  spoke, 
and  making  ready  to  step  upon  the  block  a^ain  and 
complete  his  task. 


THE  BLOCK  OF  PHRYX  91 

"  Stop  !  "  cried  Attilius  in  a  voice  of  thunder.  "  Lay 
not  thine  hand  upon  her,  Phryx,  or  thou  shalt  feel  the 
weight  of  mine." 

"  Thou  art  a  fortunate  maid,  if  maid  indeed  thou 
art,"  said  Vestinus  with  bitter  jibe,  approaching  the 
block  more  closely.  "  Thine  appeal  hath  raised  thee  up 
a  defender  already." 

"  Defender  or  not,"  protested  Pollio,  "  the  girl  is 
yet  for  sale.  No  one  hath  bought  her.  Off  with  her 
tunic,  Phryx,  and  if,  as  I  think,  she  proveth  as  fair  as 
she  seemeth,  I  offer  thee  forty  thousand  sesterces  for 
her." 

The  woman  recoiled  to  the  edge  of  the  platform  and 
clenched  her  hands  once  more.  There  was  that  furious 
intent  and  purpose  in  the  gaze  she  cast  upon  him  that 
caused  the  slave  dealer  to  pause  uneasily. 

"  Give  her  a  sword,"  laughed  Cotta,  "  and  she  will 
fight  like  a  gladiator." 

"  Is  there  no  one  here,"  cried  the  woman  desperately, 
"  who  will  have  mercy?  " 

She  looked  about  at  the  faces  of  the  laughing,  ad- 
miring Romans,  yet  in  their  laughter  was  contempt  and 
in  their  admiration  contamination.  Finally  her  glance 
rested  upon  the  face  of  Attilius.  She  thought  she  de- 
tected there  some  gleam  of  human  interest,  some  evi- 
dence of  compassion.  It  was  he  who  had  prevented 
the  slave  dealer  from  striking  her.  He  was  her  only 
chance,  her  last  hope.  What  could  she  do?  Some- 
thing moved  her.  She  unclenched  her  fingers,  lifted 
her  hand,  and  made  a  little  movement  in  the  air.  Only 
those  who  had  seen  it  before  could  tell  what  outline 


92     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

her  white  fingers  traced,  but  Attilius  recognised  it  on 
the  instant.  He  turned  to  Regulus,  who  had  stood  at 
his  side  silent,  it  not  being  his  place  to  interfere  with 
the  amusements  of  these  dissolute  youths. 

"  Sawest  thou  the  sign  of  Paulus  and  Lucas  ?  "  whis- 
pered Attilius. 

"  Aye,"  answered  Regulus,  "  she  made  the  outline 
of  a  fish." 

"  It  is  enough,"  said  the  young  tribune  firmly. 

He  had  stood  in  the  background.  Now  he  thrust 
himself  through  the  others  and  came  to  the  edge  of 
the  platform  on  which  she  stood. 

*'  I  offer  thee  fifty  thousand  sesterces  for  the  maiden," 
he  said  quietly. 

"  For  a  soldier,"  said  Senecio,  "  thou  hast  a  nice 
taste  in  human  flesh.  Unveil  her,  Phryx,  and  I  offer 
thee  fifty-five." 

"  Sixty,"  said  Attilius  quietly. 

"  Seventy,"  cried  Pollio. 

**  This  transaction  calleth  for  immediate  payment, 
gentlemen,"  interrupted  Phryx  rather  anxiously,  look- 
ing at  the  bidders. 

"  One  hundred  thousand  sesterces,"  said  Attilius  with 
a  stamp  of  his  foot. 

The  woman,  perfectly  comprehending  everything, 
sank  to  her  knees  and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands, 
forgetful  of  the  tear  in  the  tunic,  which  fell  low  over 
her  shoulder,  exposing  its  purity  and  beauty.  The  large 
price  offered  by  the  tribune  settled  the  matter.  None 
could  overbid  him,  especially  as  the  payment  had  to  be 
made  immediately. 


THE  BLOCK  OF  PHRYX  93 

"  She  prayeth,"  jeered  Senecio.  "  I  want  no  priestess 
save  of  Venus." 

"  She  fighteth,"  sneered  Pollio.  "  I  seek  no  fiery 
maenad." 

"  She  hath  a  bad  temper,"  scoffed  Vestinus.  "  I  have 
ever  avoided  a  virago." 

"  I  would  not  have  her  on  any  account,"  laughed 
Cotta.  "  She  is  of  too  high  a  spirit  for  my  humble 
household." 

"  They  do  but  jest,  sir,"  argued  the  slave  dealer 
anxiously  to  Attilius.  "  They  are  consumed  with  envy. 
Thou  wilt  not  withdraw  from  the  bargain?  " 

"  Enough,"  said  Attilius  with  unusual  haughtiness. 
He  was  somewhat  ashamed  of  himself.  He  could 
scarcely  afford  the  price  and  he  had  no  use  for  the 

woman.  But  for  the  sign  of  the  fish He  put 

down  these  disquieting  thoughts.  "  I  hold  to  mine 
offer." 

"  She  is  thine,  worthy  sir,  and  a  great  bargain.  As 
thou  hast  been  so  generous  thou  mayest  choose  freely 
another  from  the  huddle  yonder  to  accompany  her." 

"  Regulus,"  said  Attilius,  "go  thou  and  take  what 
thou  wilt  yonder  as  a  gift  from  me." 

"  Be  pleased  to  step  down  from  the  block,  lady," 
said  the  slave  dealer  obsequiously,  bowing  low  to  the 
young  woman. 

She  had  now  become  the  property  of  the  noble  Caius 
Attilius,  and  was  hereafter  to  be  treated  with  some  of 
the  deference  due  the  young  patrician,  if  for  nothing 
else,  which  fully  accounted  for  the  sudden  and  radical 
change  in  manner  of  old  Phryx. 


94     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Well,"  said  Senecio  rashly,  "  I  wish  thee  joy  of 
thy  bargain.  Thou  hast " 

"  Silence,  Senecio ! "  thundered  Attilius.  "  The 
woman  now  is  mine,  my  property,  and  I  will  allow  no 
man  to  disparage  her  under  penalty  of  the  forfeiture 
of  my  friendship.  Would  any  of  you  incur  my  en- 
mity? " 

He  towered  among  these  young  men  as  the  woman 
had  towered  among  the  slaves.  None  of  them  cared  to 
encounter  Attilius  in  that  peremptory  and  somewhat 
terrifying  mood. 

"  I  did  but  jest,"  said  Senecio  lightly,  endeavouring 
to  pass  it  off  indifferently. 

"  I  like  not  jests  about  my  slaves,"  said  Attilius. 
"  Woman,"  he  turned  toward  her,  "  speakest  thou  our 
Roman  tongue?  " 

The  girl  nodded  breathlessly.  There  was  something 
intensely  likable  in  the  young  man  who  had  bought 
her,  she  thought,  and  in  any  case  her  condition  could 
not  be  worse  than  on  the  block  a  few  moments  before. 
She  regarded  him  with  deep  interest  and  heartfelt  grati- 
tude. 

"  Fear  nothing,"  continued  the  tribune.  "  Serve  me 
faithfully  and  thou  shalt  be  well  entreated.  Give  her 
a  cloak,"  he  commanded,  turning  to  some  of  his  clients 
who  had  stood  in  the  background  watching  the  bidding 
while  waiting  the  pleasure  of  their  lord.  "  Wrap  it 
about  her  shoulders  and  convey  her  home.  She  cannot 
be  left  unguarded.  Give  her  to  Pheidippides  and  bid 
him  treat  her  kindly  until  I  return  and  advise  him  of 
what  disposition  I  wish  made  of  her.  And  thou,  Phryx, 


THE  BLOCK  OF  PHRYX  95 

bring  me  paper  and  a  reed  and  I  will  write  thee  an 
order  upon  my  bankers  in  the  Forum  of  Augustus  for 
thy  purchase  money." 

"  It  shall  be  done,  sir.  And  hath  the  worthy  cen- 
turion chosen  ?  " 

"  That  I  have,"  answered  Regulus.  "  Here  is  a 
sturdy  man,  who  hath  been,  if  I  mistake  not,  a  soldier. 
I  need  such  a  man  about  me." 

"  What,  Regulus  !  "  laughed  Pollio.  "  With  all  the 
women  of  Britain  at  thy  command  thou  choosest  that 
hard-faced  villain ! " 

"  I  have  been  a  soldier  for  forty  years,  young  sir, 
and  I  have  had  my  share  of  fighting.  I  want  no  women. 
My  choice  satisfieth  me  and  I  am  the  one  to  be  pleased," 
returned  the  centurion  with  his  usual  calmness. 

"  Thou  art  indeed,  worthy  primipilus,"  said  Vestinus, 
laughing. 

"  Sirs,"  said  Attilius,  who  had  finished  writing  the 
order,  which  he  handed  to  Phryx,  "  I  have  had  enough 
of  the  slave  market.  I  am  for  the  Forum;  do  ye  go 
that  way?" 

"  I  go,"  answered  Vestinus. 

"And  I,  too,"  chimed  in  Senecio. 

"  We  will  all  go,"  added  Cotta,  "  unless  perchance 
thou  hast  another  woman  for  sale,  like  the  one  just 
bought,  within  thy  secret  chambers,  Phryx." 

"  Alas,  no,  gentlemen,"  answered  the  slave  dealer, 
"  but  I  am  expecting  another  shipload  within  the  week, 
and,  the  gods  favouring  us,  we  may  hap  upon  such  a 
prize  again." 

"  In  which  event  thou  wilt  let  us  know  ?  " 


96  THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Assuredly,  sirs." 

"  Take  it  not  ill  that  I  mocked  thee,  Attilius,"  said 
Senecio  as  they  stepped  toward  the  entrance,  "  but  I 
will  make  it  up  to  thee  with  a  word  of  advice.  If  thou 
valuest  thy  prize,  let  her  not  be  seen  of  Caesar." 

"  I  shall  know  how  to  keep  mine  own,"  said  Attilius 
proudly,  turning  away. 

He  was  not  to  get  off  without  a  further  episode, 
however,  for  the  woman  he  had  bought  suddenly  turned 
to  him,  and  before  he  could  prevent  it  she  knelt  at 
his  feet,  seized  his  hand,  and  kissed  it. 

"  May  Christus  reward  thee,  noble  sir,"  she  said. 

Attilius  looked  at  her  in  some  amazement  as  she  rose 
to  her  feet,  turned,  and,  accompanied  by  several  of 
his  clients,  who  treated  her  with  all  deference,  went  out 
into  the  streets. 

"  The  girl  cometh  to  thy  hand  already,  thou  hast 
conquered  her !  "  said  Vestinus  enviously.  "  I  am  half 
sorry  that  I  did  not  overbid  thee  while  she  was  on  the 
block." 


CHAPTER  VII 

IN   THE   DOMUS   OF   ATTILIUS 

IT  was  late  in  the  afternoon  before  Caius  Attilius  re- 
turned to  his  home  on  the  crest  of  the  Aventine  Hill. 
Ordinarily  he  found  his  chief  interest  in  life  outside  of 
his  domus,  but  in  this  instance  he  was  rather  glad 
when  the  doorkeeper  turned  the  huge  door  of  the  ves- 
tibulum  on  its  pivot,  and,  with  obsequious  bows  and 
wordy  welcome,  ushered  him  into  the  atrium.  He  had 
bidden  his  friends  farewell,  dismissed  his  clients,  and  had 
given  his  personal  attendants — slaves,  that  is — a  brief 
holiday  as  he  left  the  Forum,  whence  he  had  returned 
home  alone,  declining  several  pressing  invitations  on 
the  plea  of  other  engagements.  Even  Regulus  did  not 
accompany  him.  He  had  fallen  in  with  some  congenial 
old  army  companions  and  would  not  be  in  until  late  at 
night.  Other,  engagements  the  tribune  had  none,  but, 
truth  to  tell,  he  was  anxious  to  see  again  and  to  learn 
something  further  of  his  lovely  purchase  of  the  morning. 
He  had  been  so  long  away  from  Rome  and  society 
that  the  constant  and  officious  attention  of  his  numerous 
slaves  somewhat  annoyed  him,  and  he  was  yet  a  little 
self-conscious  in  their  presence.  He  had  so  long  and 
so  largely  shifted  for  himself  in  camp  that  he  could 
not  quickly  or  easily  get  used  to  so  much  personal 
service  and  attention.  Consequently,  instead  of  at  once 
summoning  to  his  presence  the  British  girl  he  had 

97 


98     THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

bought,  when  he  entered  the  atrium  and  had  been 
divested  of  his  cloak  and  toga,  he  put  the  matter  by 
after  inquiring  and  being  told  that  she  had  been  brought 
home  that  morning  and  was  awaiting  his  pleasure  in 
the  women's  section  of  the  slave  quarters  on  the  other 
side  of  the  garden  back  of  the  peristyle. 

His  bath,  his  dinner,  an  hour  passed  in  his  library 
with  a  reader  who  was  to  brush  up  his  acquaintance  with 
the  much  neglected  poets  and  philosophers,  about  whose 
works  he  had  grown  somewhat  rusty  in  his  years  of 
campaigning,  served  to  pass  the  time  until  evening. 
The  night  had  fallen,  and  the  lamps,  filled  with  per- 
fumed oil  and  swinging  on  the  tall,  many-branched 
candelabra,  were  lighted  when  at  last  he  returned  to 
the  atrium,  seated  himself  upon  a  handsome  chair  of 
citron  wood  inlaid  with  silver,  one  of  his  recent  pur- 
chases, which  was  placed  on  a  thick  carpet  from  Persia, 
spoil  of  a  campaign,  and  bade  his  freedman  and  major- 
domo,  Pheidippides,  send  the  new  slave  into  his  presence. 

Now  Attilius  had,  of  course,  been  brought  into  social 
association  with  women  of  high  birth  and  good  breed- 
ing in  Rome,  in  Egypt,  and  in  other  parts  of  the 
world  where  he  had  served.  Since  his  return  he  had 
been  a  welcome  guest  at  the  private  table  of  some  of 
the  first  families  of  the  city,  and  a  certain  Lollia  of 
the  ancient  house  of  Claudii  had  greatly  impressed  him. 
He  could  not  be  said  to  be  in  love  with  her,  and  yet,  as 
she  was  one  of  the  most  eligible  women  in  Rome  from 
his  point  of  view,  and  as  matrimonial  suggestions  had 
been  made  by  friends,  he  had  already  considered  her  in 
the  light  of  a  possible  mistress  of  his  household. 


IN  THE  DOMUS  OF  ATTILIUS  99 

He  knew  little  about  Lollia  Claudia,  and  no  one  had 
yet  thought  it  worth  while  to  enlighten  his  ignorance. 
To  him  she  seemed  everything  that  a  well-conducted, 
well  brought  up  Roman  maid  ought  to  be;  but  in  spite 
of  her  demure  air  and  modest  bearing  she  belonged 
to  the. fastest  and  most  reckless  set  of  young  Roman 
womanhood.  Caius  Attilius  was  not  an  unworthy  suitor 
for  any  Roman  maiden ;  his  wealth,  the  fact  that  he  was 
the  last  representative  of  the  Attilii,  a  senatorial  family 
of  established  dignity,  worth,  and  credit ;  his  handsome 
person,  coupled  with  a  certain  manly  frankness  and 
soldierly  vigour,  which  was  most  attractive  to  a  woman 
satiated  with  the  blase,  effeminate,  and  dissolute  Roman 
youth,  inclined  Lollia  to  look  favourably  upon  him. 
And  there  were  other  reasons  as  well. 

Yet  the  sight  of  Lollia  never  moved  Attilius  so  much 
as  the  prospect  of  seeing  this  young  Briton  whom  he 
had  just  purchased  at  so  high  a  price.  He  leaned 
forward  a  little,  sat  with  his  elbows  on  the  arms  of  the 
chair,  his  chin  resting  upon  his  hands,  thinking  for  a 
few  moments.  Presently  he  lifted  his  head,  and  there 
before  him  stood  the  woman,  habited  exactly  as  when 
she  had  been  placed  on  the  block  in  the  morning.  She 
had  begged  for  other  garments,  but  Attilius  had  given 
no  orders,  and  other  vesture  had  not  been  provided  yet. 

The  tribune  stared  at  her  in  some  amazement;  her 
presence  gave  him  a  certain  little  shock.  She  had  not 
been  announced,  and  she  had  come  in  silently.  Then 
he  had  not  expected  to  see  her  so  beautiful  in  her 
strange,  un-Roman  way.  He  had  thought  her  fair  in 
the  courtyard  of  the  slave  dealer.  She  was  no  less  fair 


100          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

in  the  soft  light  cast  by  the  perfumed  lamps  which 
filled  the  atrium  with  their  mild  radiance  and  diffused 
a  rich  fragrance  in  the  warm  air.  Caius  Attilius  was 
as  yet  above  the  ordinary  feeling  of  the  young  Roman 
patrician  for  his  slaves ;  the  thing  which  he  thought 
was  love  in  his  heart  for  Lollia  kept  him  true,  for  the 
time  being,  to  the  ideal  of  womanhood  which  she  repre- 
sented to  him.  The  being  who  stood  before  him  was 
absolutely  in  his  power,  she  was  his  to  do  as  he  liked 
with,  yet  the  thought  of  harming  her  did  not  enter  his 
mind  for  a  single  moment. 

He  rather  felt  compassion  for  her  as  she  stood  there. 
While  he  now  recognised  in  full  her  beauty  and  grace 
and  charm,  he  took  an  aesthetic  pleasure  in  their  con- 
templation. And  to  that  was  added  an  utterly  un- 
Roman  pity  for  this  forlorn  and  helpless  captive.  Caius 
Attilius  might  even  have  set  the  poor  girl  free,  but  that 
would  have  deprived  her  of  the  protection  of  his  house- 
hold and  was  not  to  be  thought  of.  Such  as  she  alone 
in  Rome  would  have  been  the  prey  of  any  young  patri- 
cian who  might  choose  to  lay  his  hand  on  her.  It  was 
far,  far  better,  did  she  but  know  it,  that  she  should 
be  his  slave  and  in  his  household,  so  long  as  he  con- 
tinued in  his  present  mind,  than  almost  any  one  else's 
captive. 

The  steady  scrutiny,  not  to  say  stare,  of  the  young 
Roman  at  last  brought  a  slow  blush  to  the  face  of  the 
young  woman. 

"  Thou  hast  summoned  me,"  she  began,  and  there  was 
nothing  cringing  or  servile  in  her  tone;  it  was  rather 
that  of  an  equal  addressing  an  equal,  "  and  I  am  here." 


IN  THE  DOMUS  OF  ATTILIUS          101 

"  Yes,"  said  Attilius,  "  as  I  have  paid  a  great  price 
for  thee,"  he  went  on,  quite  unconscious  of  his  unin- 
tentional hurt  to  her  feelings,  "  I  should  like  to  know 
something  about  thee." 

"  I  am,  as  I  told  thee,"  answered  the  girl  simply  and 
unequivocally,  "  the  daughter  of  a  great  chief  of  the 
Iceni  in  the  island  of  Britain.  My  mother  was  an 
^Eduan  of  Transalpine  Gaul.  We  lived  for  a  long 
time  at  Massilia,  and  there  I  learned  to  speak  Latin. 
Indeed,  I  was  born  there,  and  thy  language  is  more 
familiar  to  me  than  my  native  tongue.  My  father 
owned  ships  and  traded  between  Britain  and  Gaul. 
When  he  was  older  he  went  back  to  Britain.  In  the 
last  war  my  father  was  slain,  scarcely  six  months  ago, 
and  my  brothers,  too.  My  mother  had  died  years  be- 
fore, and  I  was  left  alone.  You  Romans  beat  us  in  the 
field,  took  our  camp ;  I  fought  with  the  other  women, 
but  in  vain.  I  was  seized,  sold  into  slavery,  brought 
to  the  market  of  Phryx,  and  thou  didst  buy  me  this 
morning.  I  am  here  alone  and  helpless,  I  would  say 
at  thy  mercy,  but  it  is  a  quality  not  known  in  Rome," 
she  concluded  bitterly  and  with  injustice,  forgetting 
apparently  what  Attilius  had  done  for  her. 

"Thou  speakest  boldly,  British  woman,"  said  At- 
tilius, frowning  as  he  noted  her  forgetfulness. 

"  And  why  should  I  not,  Roman  man  ?  I  am  free- 
born,  the  daughter  of  a  great  chief.  I  was  not  destined 
to  be  any  man's  slave, — much  less  thine." 

"  The  fortune  that  hath  brought  thee  low,  the 
gods " 

"  The  gods,"  said  the  woman  bitterly.     "  There  is 


102    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

no  power  divine  that  overrules  the  world.  The  mastery 
of  it  is  in  human  hands.  It  is  a  world  upheld  by 
human  swords,  and  those  blades  are  in  Roman  hands, 
I  think." 

"  Thou  art  a  philosopher,  maiden." 

"  I  have  learned  that  philosophy  in  the  bitter  school 
of  life." 

**  Am  I  right  to  call  thee  maiden?"  asked  Attilius 
suddenly. 

"  Thou  art  right." 

"And  the  proof?" 

"  I  am  here." 

"  That  answer  is  worthy  of  a  Roman." 

"  And  dost  thou  think  that  virtue  which  will  not 
survive  shame  the  peculiar  property  of  thy  Roman 
people  ?  " 

"  I  confess,"  said  Attilius,  smiling — and  when  he 
smiled,  disclosing  his  white  teeth,  his  dark  face  grew 
strangely  attractive — "  that  I  had  not  given  the  matter 
of  virtue  or  the  lack  of  it  in  other  peoples  much 
thought." 

"  A  Roman  answer,"  said  the  girl  sharply.  "  With 
ye  all,  it  is  Rome  first,  and  the  rest  of  the  world  is 
nothing."  . 

"  Indeed,  thou  sayest  truly,  for,  after  all,  what  is 
the  rest  of  the  world?  The  nations  are  but  stepping- 
stones  upon  which  we  rise  to  greater  dominion." 

"  And  I  am  a  broken  fragment  of  one  of  these 
stepping-stones."  She  threw  up  her  arms.  "  Some 
day,  as  we  have  fallen,  Rome  shall  fall,"  she  added  with 
the  face  and  bearing  of  a  prophetess. 


IN  THE  DOMUS  OF  ATTILIUS          103 

"  Mayhap,"  said  Attilius  carelessly.  "  I  believe  noth- 
ing is  eternal." 

"Not  even  Rome?" 

"  Not  even  Rome,  yet  it  will  last  our  time  doubtless. 
But  our  discourse  hath  carried  us  far.  I  am  a  plain, 
blunt  soldier;  such  matters  are  beyond  me.  I  sent  not 
for  thee  to  discuss  them.  What  I  shall  do  with  thee 
is  a  problem  which  presseth  upon  me  more  heavily  and 
demandeth  solution  now." 

"  As  thou  hast  bought  me  and  as  I  have  become  thy 
chattel  by  thy  cruel  law,  I  have  neither  part  nor  lot 
in  such  a  discussion,"  said  the  woman  bitterly. 

"  Aye,  *  the  will  of  the  master  is  as  the  will  of 
the  gods,'  for  the  slave,"  quoted  the  tribune  thought- 
fully. 

"  And  though  there  are  no  gods  the  master  is  a 
reality,"  answered  the  woman.  "  What  dost  thou  de- 
cide for  me?  " 

She  threw  out  her  hands  as  she  spoke  and  stood  very 
erect  before  him,  very  proud,  haughty,  and  independent 
in  face  and  bearing.  He  stared  at  her  in  growing 
perplexity. 

"  I  scarce  know  what  to  do  with  thee,"  he  admitted 
at  last,  "  though  I  dare  say  the  question  would  not  long 
or  greatly  puzzle  my  friends.  Canst  thou  sing,  or  play 
upon  the  cithara,  or  dance?" 

"  How  can  I  sing  the  songs  of  home  in  a  strange 
land,  and  to  what  music  should  I  address  myself  in 
servitude?  To  dance  is  the  expression  of  a  joyful 
heart!  Have  I  that?" 

"What  is  thy  name?"  irrelevantly  asked  Attilius, 


104    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

suddenly  reflecting  that  he  had  not  yet  been  informed 
of  it. 

"  Gwenna." 

"  Gwenna,"  said  the  patrician,  "  only  a  bitter  heart — 
for  which  I  can  scarcely  blame  thee — would  bring  such 
bitter  words  to  thy  lips.  I  mean  thee  no  harm.  Thou 
shalt  be  treated  kindly." 

"Kindness  from  a  Roman?" 

"  Even  so,  and  perhaps  in  days  to  come  thou  wilt 
be  thankful  that  thou  hast  fallen  to  me  rather  than 
become  the  slave  of  Senecio  or  Pollio  or  any  of  the 
others — the  men  who  would  fain  have  bought  thee  and 
who  would  have  stripped  thee  of  thy  raiment,  from 
which  humiliation  I  saved  thee,  thou  mayest  remember. 
And  so  perhaps  some  day  thou  wilt  dance  and  sing 
and  play  for  me — with  joy." 

He  stopped  and  smiled  at  her,  and  as  he  smiled  his 
usually  stern  countenance  was  greatly  changed.  It  al- 
most seemed  kindly  for  the  moment.  There  was  a 
pleasant  humour  about  it,  and  where  there  is  humour 
gentler  qualities  are  apt  to  accompany  it.  Even  the 
poor,  prejudiced,  resentful  captive  admitted  that  in 
her  heart. 

These  words  affected  the  woman  strangely.  They 
brought  back  to  her  all  that  she  had  escaped.  A  warm 
wave  of  colour  at  the  thought  of  the  outrage  that  had 
almost  been  put  upon  her,  that  she  would  have  suffered 
but  for  this  man — her  owner — flooded  her  whole  body. 
She  suddenly  sank  to  her  knees  before  him,  seized  his 
hand,  and,  as  she  had  done  in  the  slave  market  of 
Phryx,  kissed  it  passionately,  while  her  tears  fell  upon 


IN  THE  DOMUS  OF  ATTILIUS          105 

it.  Attilius,  manlike,  hated  scenes ;  he  did  not  care 
particularly  to  have  his  hand  kissed,  but  the  soft  pres- 
sure of  this  woman's  lips  affected  him  most  strangely. 
He  suffered  the  homage  without  question,  finding  it  by 
no  means  unpleasant. 

"  My  lord,"  said  the  woman,  looking  up  at  him- with 
wet  eyes,  "  I  had  forgot  what  thou  hast  done  for  me 
in  the  contemplation  of  the  misery  of  my  present  lot. 
Thou  hast  saved  not  only  my  honour  and  my  modesty  " 
— and  at  the  time  it  did  not  seem  strange  to  Attilius 
that  a  captured  British  slave  girl  should  talk  to  him 
about  her  honour  and  modesty — "but  thou  hast  saved 
my  life  as  well,  for  had  they  succeeded  in  stripping  me 
of  my  tunic,  I  had  snatched  a  dagger  from  one  of  the 
slaves  and  stabbed  myself  before  their  eyes." 

"  And  doth  life  mean  so  little  to  thee?  " 

"  I  am  young,  my  lord,  and  fair,  men  say,  but  be- 
cause I  am  fair  I  have  been  preserved  while  others  of 
my  people  have  suffered  ignominy  unspeakable.  Life 
six  months  ago  was  full  of  promise  for  me,  but  now 
for  what  have  I  to  hope  ?  Thou  seemest  kind ;  thy  house 
is  beautiful,  but  it  is  a  prison.  Thou  art  my  master 
and  I  am  thy  slave.  For  what  purpose  didst  thou 
buy  me?  " 

"  For  no  purpose,"  answered  Attilius  frankly.  "  I 
saw  thy  hand  move  in  the  air ;  thou  madest  a  sign " 

"  The  fish !  "  exclaimed  the  woman. 

"  I  recognised  it." 

"  Art  thou  a  Christian?  " 

"  Am  I  a  Jew,  woman?  "  cried  Attilius,  rising  to  his 
feet  in  some  displeasure. 


106          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Nay,  master,"  protested  the  girl,  rising  also  and 
extending  her  hand  as  if  to  ward  off  a  blow,  "  I  meant 
no  harm,  but  I  am  not  of  that  strange  Hebrew  race 
either,  and " 

"Art  thou  a  Christian?" 

"  No." 

"Why  that  sign  then?" 

"  On  the  ship  that  brought  me  hither  there  was  an 
old  man  skilled  in  medicine,  his  life  forfeit  save  for  his 
knowledge.  He  was  from  the  Far  East,  but  had  been 
sold  into  slavery.  He  taught  me  something  of  this 
strange  new  religion,  that  they  worship  one  Christus 
whom  you  Romans  crucified,  who,  they  say,  rose  from 
the  dead,  and  doth  live  among  the  gods,  the  gods  in 
which  I  do  not  believe." 

"But  the  sign?" 

"  The  old  man  knew  what  lay  before  me,  and  told 
me  when  I  was  in  the  direst  trouble  to  make  that  sign 
of  the  fish  and  perhaps  some  one  might  help  me." 

"  Knowest  thou  what  it  meaneth  ?  " 

The  woman  shook  her  head. 

"  I  know  not,  and  yet  it  must  have  potency  since 
it  called  thee  to  my  assistance  and  saved  me  for  the 
time  at  any  rate." 

"Strange,"  mused  Attilius. 

"Knowest  thou  its  meaning,  lord?"  she  asked  in 
turn. 

"  No  more  than  thyself,"  was  the  prompt  and  quite 
unexpected  answer.  "  It  was  disclosed  to  me  by  one 
who  rendered  me  great  service,  with  the  prayer  that  I 
should  help,  when  I  could,  those  who  made  it." 


IN  THE  DOMUS  OF  ATTILIUS          107 

"  Perhaps,"  said  the  woman  slowly,  great  awe  in  her 
face,  "  there  may  be  gods  and  this  Christus  may  be 
one  of  them." 

Attilius  laughed  somewhat  scornfully. 

"  When  thou  hast  lived  longer  and  hast  gained  wis- 
dom and  experience  to  match  thy  beauty  thou  wilt  be 
more  convinced  than  ever  that  there  are  no  gods,  and 
that  there  is  no  hereafter.  We  must  live  while  we  live 
and  enjoy  the  day;  there  is  no  other.  But  it  groweth 
late.  Thou  art  weary  and  shouldst  rest.  Canst  thou 
read  our  Latin  tongue  as  well  as  speak  it  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  I  will  have  thee  taught  Greek,  too,  then.  Thou 
shalt  take  the  place  of  my  lector,  who  hath  a  harsh 
voice  and  groweth  old.  Meanwhile  thou  shalt  be  my 
vestiplica  and  help  me  don  my  toga,  draping  it  so 
that  it  may  fall  with  grace  and  dignity.  At  table  thou 
shalt  stand  behind  me  and  serve  me  at  my  pleasure." 

"  Thou  hast  saved  me,"  said  the  girl,  forcing  a  certain 
docility  into  her  voice,  "  from  the  greatest  peril.  I 
will  try  to  serve  thee  faithfully  in  whatever  thou  mayest 
command." 

"  I  will  see  that  thou  art  protected.  When  I  marry, 
thou  shalt  attend  the  noble  lady  who  will  become  the 
domina  of  this,  my  familia.  For  the  rest —  He 

clapped  his  hands  and  a  messenger  entered.  "  Send  me 
old  Lais,"  he  added. 

In  a  short  time  the  ancient  Greek  woman,  who  now 
had  charge  of  the  women  slaves  of  the  household,  ap- 
peared before  him. 

"  This  is  Gwenna  of  Britain,  Lais,"  said  Attilius. 


108    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  See  her  housed  safely  for  the  night.  She  is  to  be 
my  vestiplica,  and  old  Eurotas,  the  philosopher,  is'  to 
teach  her  Greek.  See  that  she  be  kindly  treated  and 
not  molested.  On  thy  head " 

"  Lord,  it  shall  be  as  thou  dost  command,"  said  the 
old  woman,  bowing  low.  "  Come  with  me,  British 
Gwenna,"  she  continued. 

The  two  turned  and  walked  to  the  door. 

"  Thou  art  a  fortunate  girl,"  whispered  Lais,  as 
they  went  down  the  passage.  "  Thou  hast  fallen  to 
the  kindest  master  in  all  Rome." 

"  That  I  should  call  any  man  master  in  Rome  or  else- 
where is  intolerable,"  flashed  out  the  younger  woman. 

Long  time  that  night  Caius  Attilius  thought  of  his 
new  and  interesting  slave,  that  British  Gwenna,  and 
when  at  last  he  fell  asleep  he  even  dreamed  of  her! 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE   MESSAGE    FROM    C^SAE. 

CAIUS  ATTILIUS  highly  appreciated  the  unwonted  luxury 
of  sleeping  late.  It  was  a  habit  which  he  had  acquired 
during  his  convalescence  and  which,  somewhat  to  his 
surprise,  for  he  had  been  a  hardy  soldier  indeed  and 
accustomed  to  little  sleep,  he  found  himself  enjoying 
greatly.  Therefore,  he  had  barely  finished  his  break- 
fast, although  the  hour  was  late,  when  a  messenger 
from  the  imperial  court  was  announced.  This  messen- 
ger, when  ushered  into  the  atrium,  proved  to  be  a  minor 
freedman  of  the  Emperor's.  He  was  attended  by  a 
number  of  slaves  and  was  sufficiently  imposing  in  dress 
and  bearing,  as  befitted  his  position  as  one  of  the  mouth- 
pieces of  the  Caesar. 

Attilius  did  not  recognise  the  man.  He  did  not  know 
who  or  what  he  was,  and  he  did  not  greatly  care.  The 
tribune  had  been  so  long  away  at  the  wars  that  he 
was  not  familiar  with  the  officers  of  the  court,  and  as 
he  himself  was  of  a  senatorial  family  of  immense  an- 
tiquity and  dignity,  which  had  furnished  many  consuls 
to  the  Republic  and  rendered  much  important  service 
to  the  state,  he  received  the  messenger  seated,  which 
was  not  particularly  pleasing  to  the  pompous  and  self- 
important  freedman.  Even  senators,  in  the  degenerate 
days  which  had  come  upon  that  body,  were  not  ashamed 
to  treat  with  extraordinary  respect  and  complaisance 

109 


110          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

these  base-born  men  whom  the  Emperor  favoured  and 
dignified.  Attilius  did  not  like  freedmen  in  general, 
especially  when  they  were  arrogant  and  presumptuous 
as  this  one  in  particular.  With  a  coolness  and  a 
haughtiness,  therefore,  which  he  scarcely  ever  mani- 
fested even  to  his  slaves,  the  young  patrician  received 
Nero's  agent. 

"  The  divine  Emperor,"  began  the  freedman,  inso- 
lently resentful,  "  whom  his  fellow-gods  ever  cherish, 
and  whose  voice  I  am,  hath  returned  last  night  from 
Naples.  He  summoneth  thee  to  audience  this  morning 
at  the  fourth  hour.  Thou  art  commanded  to  bring 
with  thee  the  centurion,  Regulus,  and  give  an  account- 
ing of  the  treasure  committed  to  thy  charge  in  the  Isis, 
which  ship  Caesar  hath  heard,  with  feelings  of  regret, 
hath  been  lost  at  sea  while  in  thy  command." 

"  Say  to  Caesar,  whom  the  gods  preserve,"  said  Attil- 
ius curtly,  his  face  flushing  at  the  presumption  implied 
by  the  bold  words  of  the  freedman,  "that  I  shall  be 
there  with  the  primipilus  of  the  Fourteenth  Legion  to 
make  such  account  of  my  trust  as  is  proper.  For  the 
rest  thou  art  not  thy  master,  and  thy  manner  and 
speech  are  not  pleasing  to  me.  Farewell." 

Being  thus  rather  unceremoniously  given  his  dismis- 
sal, the  freedman,  after  a  venomous  look  at  the  tribune, 
whom  he  would  fain  have  answered  impertinently,  but 
did  not  yet  dare,  turned,  and  followed  by  his  attendants, 
disappeared  through  the  vestibule  into  the  street.  He 
murmured  to  his  chiefest  and  most  sympathetic  con- 
fidant, as  he  did  so,  that  a  longer  sojourn  in  the  city 
would  probably  tame  the  haughty  spirit  of  the  proud 


Ill 

Roman.  He  ought  to  be  made  to  feel  that  even  a 
freedman  had  influence  with  his  master  and  that  those 
who  were  dignified  by  the  favour  of  Nero  had  a  great- 
ness and  a  power  against  which  no  long  descent  or 
ancient  family  could  be  measured  for  a  moment ! 

Left  alone  Caius  Attilius  clapped  his  hands.  In- 
stantly a  young  slave  who  acted  as  page  entered  the 
atrium. 

"  Send  me  Lais." 

"  Yes,  master." 

"  And  bid  her  hasten." 

In  a  few  moments  the  mistress  of  the  women  slaves 
hurriedly  made  her  appearance. 

"  Greetings,  lord,"  she  began,  bowing  low  before  him 
and  yet  smiling  kindly  upon  him. 

She  had  occupied  the  same  position  in  the  household 
of  his  father  and  mother,  and  had  known  him  from  a 
child.  She  was  in  some  sort  a  foster-mother  to 
him. 

"  Greetings,  Lais,"  said  Attilius,  smiling  upon  her 
with  a  very  different  mien  from  that  he  had  exhibited 
toward  the  freedman.  "  I  called  thee  to  inquire  as  to 
the  welfare  of  British  Gwenna,  the  slave  whom  I  en- 
trusted to  thy  care  last  night." 

The  eyes  of  old  Lais  opened  a  little  wider  at  this 
extraordinary  and  unusual  inquiry  as  to  the  welfare 
of  a  slave.  Such  concern  was  not  expected  from  a 
master  who  usually  troubled  himself  very  little  about 
such  things.  All  sorts  of  ideas  flashed  into  the  old 
woman's  mind,  none  of  which  could  be  said  to  be  jus- 
tified by  the  real  state  of  affairs  as  yet. 


112          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  She  was  so  lonely  and  miserable,  master,"  answered 
Lais,  "  that  I  took  her  into  my  own  cubicle  for  the 
night." 

"  Doth  she  seem  happier  this  morning?  " 

"  This  morning,  master,  happily  she  maketh  no  com- 
plaint." 

"  That  is  well.  Bring  her  to  me,  and  bid  her  hasten. 
As  thou  goest  through  the  hall  send  hither  the  boy  in 
attendance  also." 

When  the  youngster  presented  himself  Caius  Attilius 
bade  him  awaken  the  old  centurion,  who,  having  spent 
the  greater  part  of  the  night  carousing  with  some  old 
comrades  recently  returned  from  the  army  in  Gaul,  had 
not  yet  arisen. 

"  Tell  him,"  said  the  tribune,  "  that  we  are  sum- 
moned to  Nero's  court  to  make  an  accounting  for  our 
lost  ship.  Bid  him  bring  the  jewels  from  the  treasure- 
chest  in  his  chamber."  As  he  spoke  he  glanced  at  the 
clepsydra,  or  water-clock,  over  against  the  wall.  "  It 
is  now  past  the  third  hour,"  he  added,  "  and  our  audi- 
ence is  set  for  the  fourth.  He  knoweth  it  is  not  well 
to  be  behind  time  with  Caesar,  and  therefore  will  make 
speed.  Tell  Eurotas  to  be  in  attendance  in  the  hall 
and  await  my  summons  hither,  and  thereafter  let  me  not 
be  disturbed  until  I  call." 

By  the  time  these  directions  had  been  communicated 
to  the  messenger  the  hangings  parted  and  the  girl, 
followed  by  old  Lais,  entered  the  atrium.  In  her  youth 
the  Greek  woman  had  been  beautiful,  with  the  classic 
regularity  of  feature  of  her  race,  and  with  her  white 
hair  and  kindly  face  she  was  not  uncomely  now.  She 


THE  MESSAGE  FROM  CAESAR          113 

made  an  excellent  foil  for  the  splendid  young  barbarian 
who.  stood  by  her  side. 

"  Master,"  said  Lais,  bowing  low  and  stepping  back- 
ward, "  the  maid  is  here  at  thy  pleasure."^ 

"  Hast  thou  no  word  of  greeting  for  me  this  morn- 
ing, British  Gwenna?  "  said  Attilius,  smiling,  and  when 
he  smiled  again  the  woman  noticed  with  pleasure  char- 
acteristically feminine  how  white  his  teeth  were  and 
how  pleasant  his  stern  expression  became. 

"  How  should  the  slave  greet  her  master?  "  she  an- 
swered. 

"  With  a  smile,  maiden,  lest  tears  should  be  imposed 
upon  her,"  said  the  tribune. 

"  Can  the  freeborn  laugh  in  slavery?  " 

"  That  I  know  not,"  answered  Attilius,  "  never  having 
been  a  slave." 

"Shall  I  withdraw  and  leave  you  alone?"  queried 
Lais  softly. 

"  Nay,  what  I  have  to  say  concerns  you  both.  British 
Gwenna,  I  entrust  thee  to  the  care  of  Lais,  who  hath 
been  in  my  household  since  she  was  a  girl,  younger 
even  than  thou  art.  She  was  woman  grown  when  I  was 
a  little  boy.  Long  since  she  should  have  been  freed 
from  bondage  but  that  she  willed  it  otherwise  herself." 

"  Here  have  I  lived,"  said  Lais,  "  in  peace  and  com- 
fort ;  here  I  am  happy  and  content ;  I  know  no  other 
home;  I  want  no  other;  here,  if  it  be  thy  pleasure 
and  the  gods',  when  the  time  comes,  I  shall  die  in 
peace." 

"  May  that  day  long  be  deferred,  good  mother," 
said  Attilius,  smiling  at  her  fondly.  "  Do  thou  take 


114          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

full  charge  of  Gwenna.  She  is  to  be  my  vestiplica. 
Thou  knowest  Latin,  maiden,  but  Greek?  " 

"  I  cannot  speak  it,"  answered  Gwenna,  "  although  I 
can  manage  to  spell  out  a  little  of  it." 

"  Thou  hast  been  well  taught,  it  seemeth,"  said 
Attilius.  "  There  is  music  in  thy  voice.  I  am  a  rough 
soldier  and  have  forgot  much  that  I  learned  in  youth. 
It  is  the  fashion  to  study  the  philosophers  and  history, 
and  I  would  fain  be  in  the  fashion.  I  will  have  thee 
taught  to  read  in  Greek  the  works  of  the  great  poets, 
philosophers,  and  historians,  and  when  thou  hast  learned 
thou  shalt  be  my  reader  also.  My  domestic  philosopher 
groweth  old.  He  hath  a  cracked  voice  and  nods  over 
the  roll.  Thou  shalt  read  to  me." 

Gwenna  looked  at  him  without  speaking  as  he  paused, 
evidently  expecting  some  evidence  of  pleasure  or  grati- 
tude from  her. 

"  Doth  not  that  prospect  please  thee  ? "  he  asked 
presently  in  some  disappointment. 

"  As  well,  perhaps,  as  anything  could  please  me, 
being,  as  I  am,  a  slave." 

"  Thou  mayest  grow  to  love  thy  slavery  as  yonder 
Lais." 

"  Never." 

"  Some  day  I  may  even  take  thee  to  the  praetor " 

"  And  set  me  free  ?  "  she  interrupted  eagerly. 

"  It  is  not  impossible,"  answered  Attilius,  "  but  not 
now." 

"  What  wouldst  thou  do  with  thy  freedom,  girl?  " 
asked  old  Regulus,  who  had  come  in  unannounced  and 
had  heard  the  last  part  of  the  colloquy. 


THE  MESSAGE  FROM  (LESAR  115 

Gwenna  turned  and  faced  him. 

"  I  know  not,"  she  answered,  "  unless  I  could  return 
to  Britain  and " 

"  Greeting,  worthy  centurion,"  said  the  tribune. 
"  I  did  not  hear  thee  enter." 

"  Greeting,  noble  Attilius,"  rejoined  the  old  soldier. 
"  Thou  hast  pleasant  occupation  to  excuse  thy  failure 
to  notice  me. — Why,  maiden,"  continued  Regulus, 
after  this  interchange  of  courtesy,  "  thy  safety  lieth 
within  these  walls.  Once  on  the  streets,  alone,  free, 
thou  wouldst  be  as  helpless  as  a  lamb  among  a  pack 
of  wolves.  The  first  human  beast  with  a  purple  stripe 
down  his  tunic  that  met  thee  would  gobble  thee  up." 

"  Regulus  spe.ikcth  truly,"  said  Attilius.  "  Here 
thou  wilt  be  protected  and  cared  for,  and  in  time  thou 
mayest  be  happy." 

"  It  is  not  home,  it  is  not  freedom,"  persisted  the 
girl  stubbornly. 

"  Enough,"  answered  Attilius  shortly.  He  did  not 
like  to  be  confronted  by  a  will  so  unyielding.  His  rank, 
his  station,  to  say  nothing  of  his  military  position, 
ill  fitted  him  to  brook  opposition.  "  Eurotas !  " 

"  Worthy  patron,  here,"  said  a  venerable  Greek, 
appearing  from  the  hall  where  he  had  been  waiting  a 
summons. 

"  This  maiden's  education  is  in  thy  care,  learned 
philosopher.  She  speaketh  and  readeth  our  own  Latin 
tongue  and  she  hath  some  slight  knowledge  of  Greek. 
I  give  her  into  thy  hands  for  further  training.  She  is 
to  be  taught  to  read  Homer  and  your  philosophers 
and  poets.  Upon  thee  and  Lais  I  particularly  lay  the 


116          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

charge  of  teaching  her.  And,  Lais,  see  that  the 
gaudy  silver  tunic  she  weareth  be  laid  aside  at  once 
and  that  she  be  habited  in  attire  more  suited  to  her 
modesty." 

"  Shall  she  wear  the  uniform  of  the  other  slave 
women?  "  asked  Lais,  who  was  herself  exempted  from 
the  distinctive  dress  of  servitude. 

The  girl,  blushing  deeply  at  the  thought  of  the  short, 
scanty  garment  she  wore,  which  she  had  almost  for- 
got in  the  greater  matters  towards,  took  a  step  for- 
ward. She  smote  her  hands  together  softly  and  ex- 
tended them  beseechingly  toward  her  new  master.  Must 
even  her  clothing  remind  her  of  her  state? 

"  Dress  her  as  thou  wilt,  but  becomingly,"  said  Attil- 
ius,  well  understanding  what  was  in  her  mind.  "A 
garment  like  thine  perhaps  and  of  blue,  for  she  is  fair. 
And  now  thou  art  dismissed." 

But  Gwenna  stepped  nearer,  her  hands  still  extended, 
and  opened  her  mouth  to  speak. 

"Didst  thou  not  hear?  Thou  art  dismissed,"  said 
Caius  Attilius  sternly,  whereat  the  girl  shrank  back, 
her  cheeks  paling,  and  turned  away  with  Lais. 

"He  is  the  kindest  master  in  all  Italy,"  whispered 
the  elder  woman  to  the  younger  as  they  withdrew,  "  but 
even  he  must  not  be  crossed.  Thou  hast  won  his  favour. 
I  never  knew  him  to  show  so  much  consideration  to  a 
slave  and  thou  shouldst  be  grateful." 

"  I  only  meant  to  express  that  gratitude,"  explained 
the  girl  humbly  enough.  "  I  know  that  he  might  have 
treated  me  differently,  and  I  am  thankful.  I  would 
have  said  so,  that  was  all." 


THE  MESSAGE  FROM  CAESAR          117 

"  Thou  canst  show  thy  gratitude  best,"  said  the 
woman  as  the  two  passed  into  the  garden  back  of  the 
peristyle  on  their  way  to  the  slave  quarters,  "  by  study- 
ing to  please  him.  There  is  not  one  in  the  house  who 
would  not  give  her  head  to  be  vestiplica;  and  to  be 
reader,  as  thou  shalt  be  when  thou  hast  learned,  is 
beyond  their  veriest  dream.  But  question  not  thy 
master,  and  go  when  he  bids  thee;  that  is  best." 

"  That  pretty  maiden  needeth  lessons,"  said  old 
Regulus  back  in  the  atrium. 

"  She  hath  not  become  accustomed  to  her  slavery," 
answered  Attilius. 

"Not  yet." 

"  But  for  that  I  can  scarcely  blame  her,"  the  tribune 
continued.  "  Would  anything  ever  accustom  us  to 
slavery?  " 

"  We  are  Romans,"  answered  Regulus  calmly,  as  if 
that  settled  the  matter,  as  indeed  it  did. 

"  True,  worthy  centurion,"  smiled  Attilius,  thor- 
oughly agreeing.  "  But  knowest  thou  that  we  are 
summoned  to  the  court?  Art  ready?  " 

"  Ready  as  always." 

"  Hast  thou  the  jewels?  " 

"  Beneath  my  cloak,  here." 

The  primipilus  was  dressed  in  his  best  armour,  but 
without  his  sword,  which  was  not  worn  at  imperial 
audiences,  and  his  newest  military  cloak  hung  from 
his  broad  shoulders.  He  opened  it  and  disclosed  a  stout 
leather  bag  in  his  clenched  hand. 

"  Shall  we  go  in  a  litter  or  walk?  " 

"  Litters   are   for  the   elderly   and   feeble,   and   for 


118          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

women  and  the  Emperor,"  answered  Regulus  promptly. 
"  A  veteran  like  myself  goeth  on  his  own  two  legs 
according  to  his  wont." 

"  I  am  still  hardy  enough  to  walk  with  thee,"  assented 
the  tribune. 

"  Greetings,  sirs,"  said  Pheidippides,  the  worthy  old 
freedman  who  acted  as  major-domo,  who  at  that  moment 
entered  the  atrium.  "  A  number  of  thy  clients  have 
waited  for  thee  in  the  vestibule  yonder  since  early 
morning." 

"  Have  they  breakfasted  ?  " 

**  Thinking  that  it  would  be  thy  pleasure,  I  admitted 
them  early  to  a  modest  repast." 

"  Thou  hast  done  well.  And  have  they  received  their 
customary  basket  gifts  for  the  day?" 

"  They  have,  lord." 

"  Bid  them  attend  me  to  the  Palatine,"  answered 
Attilius.  "  Fetch  me  my  toga  and  send  some  one  to 
assist  me." 

"  Let  that  service  be  mine,"  said  old  Lais,  re-entering 
the  hall.  "  Mine  eyes  are  dim  and  my  fingers  tremble, 
but  I  have  performed  the  service  often  enough  for 
thee  and  for  thy  father  before  thee  to  try  it  yet  once 
again." 

"  Where  didst  thou  leave  thy  charge  ?  " 

"  With  Eurotas,  master.  I  came  back  to  receive 
thy  further  commands." 

"  I  have  none." 

"  And  to  say  to  thee  that  what  the  maiden  would  have 
said  to  thee  when  thou  didst  dismiss  her  was  but  to 
express  her  gratitude  for  all  thy  kindness." 


THE  MESSAGE  FROM  CAESAR          119 

"And  that  is  well,"  said  Attilius,  submitting  to  the 
draping.  "  How  hangeth  my  toga,  Regulus  ?  " 

"I  am  no  great  judge  of  the  matter,"  answered  the 
centurion,  scanning  the  young  patrician,  "  but  it  seem- 
eth  to  me  to  be  well  enough,  like  the  man  who  weareth 
it,  even  for  Csesar." 

"  Do  thou  cause  the  clients  again  to  be  admitted, 
Pheidippides,"  said  the  tribune,  smiling  at  the  blunt, 
but  undeniable  compliment  in  his  friend's  rough 
words. 

Attilius  had  been  but  a  short  time  in  Rome,  but 
many  of  the  former  clients  of  his  father  had  already 
found  him  out,  and  the  atrium  was  soon  filled  with  a 
body  of  that  class  of  toga-ed  Romans  who  possessed 
the  citizenship  and  little  else  and  who  lived  upon  the 
charity  of  wealthy  patricians,  to  whom  in  turn  they 
rendered  such  service  in  the  way  of  personal  attendance 
and  companionship  when  they  walked  abroad,  as  well 
as  supported  and  countenanced  them  should  they  run 
for  office,  or  read  a  play  in  public,  or  plead  a  cause, 
or  deliver  an  oration  in  the  Forum.  As  usual  they  were 
a  sorry-looking  lot,  although  they  bore  themselves  with 
all  the  pride  of  their  Roman  citizenship.  Under  their 
togas  they  carried  little  baskets  that  morning  filled  with 
food  by  the  orders  of  Pheidippides,  to  which  a  small 
coin  or  two  had  been  added  for  a  draught  of  cheap 
wine — a  customary  daily  dole  upon  which  they  lived. 

"  Greeting,  noble  Attilius,"  burst  from  the  lips  of 
one  and  another  until  the  atrium  was  filled  with  sound. 

"  Greeting,  worthy  friends,"  returned  the  young 
patrician  courteously.  "  I  am  summoned  to  an  audi- 


120          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

ence  with  the  Emperor  at  the  fourth  hour,  and  I  beg 
you  to  attend  me  there." 

"  It  is  a  pleasure,"  answered  one  who  seemed  to  be 
the  spokesman  of  the  clients,  "  to  attend  the  noble  Caius 
Attilius  abroad  on  any  business,  but  when  he  is  sum- 
moned to  receive  the  favour  of  Caesar  every  client  of 
his  ancient  house  rejoices." 

"  I  thank  you,"  returned  the  tribune. 

"  Will  the  noble  Attilius  be  borne  in  his  litter  or  go 
afoot?"  asked  Pheidippides. 

"  Afoot,"  answered  Attilius,  laying  his  hand  fondlj 
upon  the  broad  shoulder  of  old  Regulus.  "  Afoot,  with 
my  comrade  here,  as  becometh  two  veteran  soldiers." 


CHAPTER  IX 

NERO    AND   HIS    SONG 

As  near  as  might  be,  when  he  judged  that  the  hour  of 
ten  would  be  indicated  by  the  water-clock  in  his  house, 
for  the  Romans  possessed  no  portable  timepieces,  Caius 
Attilius,  with  Regulus  and  the  clients,  stopped  before 
the  door  of  what  the  Emperor  loved  to  call  his  "  Transi- 
tory House  "  on  the  Palatine.  A  group  of  pretorians, 
at  whose  resplendent  armour,  embossed  with  silver  and 
glowing  with  colour  from  their  plumed  helmets  to  their 
sandals,  Regulus  looked  with  the  contempt  of  a  real 
veteran,  barred  their  way  as  was  proper.  Attilius 
promptly  gave  his  name,  and  indicated  that  he  had 
been  summoned  to  the  palace  by  the  Csesar  himself.  A 
call  for  the  decurion  in  charge  of  the  maniple,  or  squad 
of  ten,  posted  at  the  front  entrance  gate,  promptly 
brought  that  functionary  forward,  and  he  relieved  the 
situation. 

In  attendance  at  this  gateway  in  the  walls  was  a 
minor  freedman,  who  had  a  tablet  on  which  were  in- 
scribed the  names  of  those  who  had  the  privilege  of 
entrance  that  morning.  To  find  and  check  off  the 
names  of  Caius  Attilius  and  Regulus  was  the  work  of 
a  few  moments.  Attended  by  the  clients,  they  accord- 
ingly entered  the  courtyard  surrounding  the  palace, 
where  the  clients  were  bidden  to  remain  while  the  tribune 

121 


122    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

and  the  centurion  were  ushered  into  the  great  atrium 
of  the  building  itself. 

Thej  were  not  alone  that  morning,  for  the  spacious 
hall  of  audience  was  filled  with  people ;  the  greater 
number  being  senators,  their  rank  indicated  by  a  broad 
purple  stripe  that  ran  down  the  front  of  the  tunic 
and  was  seen  where  the  under  garment  was  exposed  by 
the  toga,  and  knights,  distinguished  by  two  narrower 
stripes  in  the  same  position.  In  addition  there  were 
freedmen,  soldiers,  civic  officials,  magistrates,  a  motley 
assemblage,  indicative  of  the  social  strata  into  which 
Rome  was  divided,  for  in  one  far  corner  were  even 
huddled  a  rather  forlorn  deputation  of  the  common 
people,  who  had  come  to  present  a  petition  to  the 
Imperator.  Mingled  with  them  all  were  the  ever  pass- 
ing slaves  busy  about  various  errands. 

Caius  Attilius  and  Regulus  were  expected,  evidently, 
for  they  had  scarcely  joined  the  throng  when  the 
hangings  at  the  rear  of  the  atrium,  imperial  purple 
by  the  way,  were  thrown  apart  and  a  nomenclator,  or 
announcer,  called  out  their  names.  As  they  stepped 
forward,  he  beckoned  to  them  and  they  followed  him 
through  the  hangings,  down  the  long  passageway,  and 
into  the  peristyle  beyond. 

Lolling  upon  a  carved  ivory  chair  inlaid  with  silver 
and  cushioned  with  purple,  which  was  raised  above  the 
floor  of  the  peristyle  on  a  low  dais,  the  Emperor  awaited 
them.  He  was  surrounded  by  a  squad  of  pretorians 
in  the  same  resplendent  armour  and  equipment  as  was 
worn  by  those  at  the  gate,  and  as  he  was  consul  himself 
at  that  time,  his  lictors,  with  their  bundles  of  rods  out 


NERO  AND  HIS  SONG  123 

of  which  the  axe  projected,  were  also  in  attendance. 
Near  him  stood  a  richly  dressed  and  armoured  officer,  a 
tall,  dark  man  whose  black  locks  and  swarthy  counte- 
nance were  an  excellent  foil  to  the  ruddy  complexion, 
reddish-blond  hair,  and  blue  eyes  of  the  Emperor. 
Other  dandies  of  the  court  were  grouped  about,  but 
a  little  removed  from  the  royal  vicinity.  Close  at 
hand  and  within  call  were  scribes,  secretaries,  and 
freedmen,  richly  vested  knights  and  senators,  and  others 
of  the  so-called  friends  of  Caesar. 

The  lovely  and  extensive  garden,  the  grassy  expanse 
of  which  was  enclosed  on  three  sides  by  the  many-col- 
umned peristyle,  was  rich  with  gorgeous  blossoms  and 
diversified  with  many  trees.  A  fountain  occupied  the 
centre  of  the  enclosure.  The  part  where  the  Emperor 
sat  was  shaded  from  the  sun,  which  was  already  quite 
high,  by  projecting  awnings  of  purple  with  poles  and 
ropes  of  silver. 

The  nomenclator  stepped  within  the  entrance,  bowed 
almost  to  the  ground,  and  in  stentorian  tones — he  had 
been  chosen  for  the  position  because  of  his  great  voice 
— announced : 

"  The  noble  Caius  Attilius,  Tribune,  and  the  worthy 
Regulus,  Primipilus,  of  the  Fourteenth,  the  Thunder- 
ing Legion,  from  Egypt,  and  now  in  attendance  upon 
the  divine  Emperor  at  his  command." 

As  the  shout  died  away  Nero,  who  appeared  to  be 
in  a  rare  good  humour,  gave  evidence  of  his  pleasure 
at  the  sight  of  these  two  by  an  unusual  act  of  con- 
descension. He  rose  from  his  seat  and  took  a  step  or 
two  in  the  direction  of  the  approaching  pair.  He  was 


124    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

some  distance  away,  and  Caius  Attilius,  who  looked 
at  him  with  the  trained  eye  of  a  soldier,  had  time  to 
take  him  in  as  they  approached  each  other. 

The  tribune  had  been  away  from  Rome  during  the 
whole  course  of  Nero's  reign;  the  Emperor  Claudius 
had  not  partaken  of  the  poisoned  mushrooms  when  the 
young  patrician  had  departed  for  Egypt  with  the  Four- 
teenth Legion.  He  had  seen  Nero  as  a  boy,  and  had 
often  played  with  him  and  the  young  Prince  Britannicus 
in  those  days,  but  he  had  never  laid  eyes  on  him  since 
he  had  become  Cassar,  although  he  had  enjoyed  that 
position  now  for  nearly  half  a  score  of  years. 

The  handsome,  attractive  boy  he  remembered,  so 
Caius  Attilius  thought,  had  not  developed  accordingly. 
His  manhood  had  not  fulfilled  the  promise  of  his  youth. 
He  saw  before  him  a  man  rather  above  the  middle 
stature  with  a  face  half  good  and  half  bad.  For  in- 
stance, he  noted  a  weak,  cruel,  ineffably  sensual  mouth, 
puckered  and  pouting.  His  pale,  unhealthy  complexion 
was  already  stamped  unmistakably  by  his  continued  in- 
dulgence in  every  kind  of  vice.  Only  the  broad  and 
noble  brow  crowned  by  masses  of  bright  and  beautifully 
curly  hair  in  any  degree  matched  the  position  of  the 
man.  The  good  features  were  spoiled  by  a  pair  of 
blinking  blue  eyes  from  which  the  fire  and  clarity 
of  youth  had  long  since  faded,  much  increasing  the 
near-sightedness  of  the  man :  a  fact  which  was  painfully 
apparent  even  though  he  had  as  then  not  peered  at 
the  tribune  through  a  huge  emerald  which  served  him 
as  an  eyeglass. 

As  a  boy,  Nero  had  been  slender  and  graceful.     He 


NERO  AND  HIS  SONG  125 

was  now  clad  in  a  loose,  flowing,  uncinctured,  effeminate 
robe  of  purple  silk,  embroidered  in  gold,  which  fell 
almost  to  his  gold-laced  sandals.  This  garment,  en- 
tirely un-Roman,  called  a  synthesis,  or  confection, 
served  to  hide  his  thin,  slim  legs,  although  it  did  not 
conceal  his  growing  development  of  paunch.  The  Em- 
peror was  unmanly  and  undignified  in  appearance.  He 
wore  a  silk  handkerchief  wrapped  around  his  huge,  bull- 
like  neck,  and  Attilius  saw  two  men  in  the  background, 
anxiously  watching  over  a  cithara,  or  harp,  carefully 
wrapped  in  the  same  purple  silk  the  Emperor  wore. 
They  were  always  in  attendance,  for  no  one  knew  when 
it  would  please  the  Caesar  to  entertain  the  faithful 
with  a  song. 

Arriving  within  speaking  distance,  Attilius  and 
Regulus  halted ;  both  threw  up  their  hands  in  military 
salute,  which  seemed  to  please  the  Emperor,  and  then 
both  bowed  low  before  him. 

"  Greeting  to  the  Imperator,"  said  both  in  unison, 
"  from  two  of  his  faithful  soldiers." 

And  that  greeting  pleased  the  tyrant  still  more. 
As  the  two  bowed  low  before  him,  he  lowered  the  emerald 
through  which  he  had  been  squinting  at  them  and  took 
another  step  in  their  direction,  laid  his  hand  upon  the 
shoulder  of  the  tribune  and  kissed  his  cheek,  a  senatorial 
privilege,  though  one  which  Nero  in  these  late  days 
rarely  extended,  since  he  was  in  constant  enmity  with 
the  Senate — an  enmity  which  all  the  servility  of  that 
degenerate  body  was  insufficient  to  alter.  But  Caius 
Attilius  had  come  from  the  front,  he  had  not  yet  had 
time  to  enter  into  any  of  the  cabals,  conspiracies,  and 


126    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

factions  of  the  Senate,  hence  the  warmth  of  his  wel- 
come. 

Regulus,  being  of  the  people,  received  no  such  murk 
of  condescension.  The  Emperor,  however,  extended  his 
hand  to  the  centurion,  who  took  it,  bowed  low  over  it, 
and  released  it. 

"  Greeting,  noble  Attilius,  and  thou,  worthy  cen- 
turion," began  Nero  affably,  amid  a  chorus  of  exclama- 
tions and  similar  words  of  welcome  from  those  who 
surrounded  him  and  took  their  cue  from  him. 

His  voice  was  undeniably  pleasant.  Much  humour 
has  been  exercised  over  his  singing,  but  he  sang  un- 
doubtedly much  better  than  the  ordinary  man,  albeit 
he  was  in  no  sense  a  great  singer,  and  his  conversational 
voice  when  he  chose  to  make  it  so  was  agreeable  accord- 
ingly. 

"  The  corn  ship,"  he  continued,  "  we  have  been  in- 
formed, which  should  have  brought  you  hither  foun- 
dered at  sea  with  all  my  treasure.  Well,  our  need  of 
money  is  always  great,  is  it  not,  Tigellinus  ?  "  he  asked, 
throwing  a  meaning  look  at  the  tall,  dark  man  in  the 
pretorian  uniform  who  had  followed  him  closely. 

"  The  treasures  of  the  world  are  thine,  divinity ; 
thou  hast  but  to  stretch  forth  thy  hand  and  take." 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  said  Nero,  smiling  rather  grimly, 
"  but  before  we  can  take  we  must  first  find  and — but 
enough  of  that.  Thy  life  was  spared,  my  tribune,  and 
thine,"  he  included  the  primfpilus  thus,  "  and  for  that 
we  should  be  satisfied." 

"  Still,"  persisted  Tigellinus,  "  it  was  a  rare  treasure 
that  went  down  with  the  Isis." 


NERO  AND  HIS  SONG  127 

"  Thou  wilt  know,"  said  Nero,  laying  his  hand  upon 
the  arm  of  the  commander  of  the  Pretorian  Guard, 
"  thou  wilt  know  where  to  find  that  which  will  make  up 
to  us  for  the  loss,  most  excellent  Tigellinus." 

"  Noble  Caesar,"  interposed  Regulus  boldly,  yet  with 
respect  enough  at  this  juncture,  "  I  have  observed  in 
the  course  of  my  long  life  that  things  are  frequently 
not  always  as  bad  as  they  seem." 

"Art  thou  philosopher  as  well  as  soldier?"  asked 
Nero,  frowning  slightly  at  this  somewhat  unceremoni- 
ous interruption. 

"  I  have  played  many  parts  in  thy  service  in  my 
day,  Imperator,  and  this  day  I  add  another." 

"  And  what  may  that  be  ?  "  asked  Nero,  frowning  still 
more. 

"  That  of  thy  treasurer  for  the  nonce,"  answered 
the  veteran,  apparently  no  whit  disturbed  by  Caesar's 
frowns. 

As  he  spoke  he  drew  from  under  his  toga  the  leather 
bag  and  presented  it  to  the  Emperor.  Nero  shrank 
back,  surprised  and  a  little  fearful. 

"  Have  these  people  been  searched  ?  "  he  cried  sharply 
to  Tigellinus. 

"  We  bear  no  weapons,"  answered  Attilius.  "  Hesi- 
tate not,  O  Caesar,"  he  continued.  "  Although  the  con- 
tents of  this  bag  have  been  fought  for  and  every  sep- 
arate item  washed  in  blood,  doubtless,  it  will  bring  only 
joy  to  thee." 

"  Take  it,  thou,  Tigellinus,"  said  Nero,  apparently 
still  distrustful. 

The    pretorian    prefect    seized    the    bag — whatever 


128          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

his  vices,  he  had  not  yet  been  made  a  coward  by  them 
as  had  the  last  of  the  Domitii  whom  he  served — 
broke  the  strings  and  seals  that  closed  it,  opened  it, 
peered  within,  and  uttered  an  exclamation.  He  shot  a 
quick  glance  at  the  two  soldiers. 

"  Well,"  said  Nero  impatiently. 

For  answer,  Tigellinus  stepped  to  a  little  tripod  of 
polished  brass  supporting  a  table  of  beautifully  grained 
citron  wood  for  which  Nero  had  paid  a  king's  ransom. 
He  opened  the  bag  and  carefully  let  run  from  it  a  heap 
of  jewels  of  every  colour,  size,  and  value.  Nero  in- 
stantly stepped  to  the  tripod,  bent  over  it,  peered  at 
the  heap  through  his  emerald,  and  laid  his  fingers  caress- 
ingly over  the  jewels. 

"  The  imperial  treasury  itself  hath  no  finer  stones 
than  these,"  he  said  with  the  assurance  of  a  connoisseur, 
which  indeed  he  was  in  such  matters.  "  Whence  come 
these?" 

"  From  thy  praetor  in  Egypt,"  answered  Attilius. 

"  How  came  the  centurion  by  them?  " 

"  When  the  ship  appeared  like  to  sink  he  took  them 
from  the  cases  that  contained  them,  put  them  in  this 
bag,  bound  it  about  his  waist,  and  finally  brought  them 
to  thee  in  safety." 

"Are  they  all  here?"  asked  Nero  with  a  greedy 
sparkle  in  his  eye. 

The  face  of  Attilius  flushed  at  the  insult  in  the 
question.  Regulus  was  more  hardened,  and  the  colour 
did  not  easily  come  into  his  bronzed  cheeks ;  still  he  felt 
the  implication. 

"  When  the  invoice  cometh  from   Egypt,"  he  said 


NERO  AND  HIS  SONG  129 

bluntly,  "  thou  wilt  find  none  of  them  missing  or  let 
my  head  be  forfeit." 

And  here  Tigellinus  did  an  unusual  thing.  To  be 
sure,  Regulus  was  so  humble  that  in  him  there  was  no 
possibility  of  a  rival  in  the  good  graces  of  the  Emperor. 

"  I  knew  this  man  in  Spain,  divinity ;  he  had  there  a 
reputation  for  strict  honesty." 

"  And  hath  it  still,"  added  Attilius  promptly. 

"  He  must  indeed  be  an  honest  man,"  said  a  tall, 
handsome  man  of  great  elegance  of  bearing,  somewhat 
older  than  the  rest,  who  had  watched  and  heard  all  with 
an  expression  of  amused  indifference,  "  if  he  made  that 
reputation  while  in  Spain  in  thy  society,  Tigellinus." 

"  By  the  gods,  thou  hast  no  mercy  on  the  poor 
prefect,  Petronius,"  laughed  Nero. 

The  dark  face  of  the  prefect  flushed  under  this  sneer- 
ing insult,  but  he  knew  too  well  his  limitations  when  it 
came  to  exchanging  verbal  thrusts  with  the  Arbiter 
Elegantiarum  of  Nero's  court,  to  take  any  other  notice 
of  it  or  to  express  any  resentment.  He  would  bide  his 
time. 

"  I  thank  thee,  Sophonius  Tigellinus,"  said  Regulus 
stoutly,  "  for  thy  good  word." 

"  Knowest  thou  to  whom  thou  speakest,  soldier  ? " 
asked  Nero,  looking  at  the  bold  and  unawed  centurion 
in  some  amazement.  "  Seest  thou  not  my  blazonry  on 
his  breast  ?  " 

"  Perfectly,  Imperator.  Tigellinus  is  the  commander 
of  the  Pretorian  Guard,  I  am  the  primipilus  of  the 
Thundering  Legion,  or  rather,  I  was." 

"Hast  thou  completed  thy  years  of  service?" 


130          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Aye,  and  twenty  years  added  to  the  score." 

"And  dost  thou  now  seek  retirement?" 

"  Unless  some  emergency  should  call  me  to  the  field 
in  Caesar's  service,"  answered  Regulus. 

"Will  Caesar  permit  me?"  began  Caius  Attilius. 

"  Speak  on." 

"  I  have  been  the  tribune  of  thy  Fourteenth  Legion 
and  I  know  this  man.  No  worthier  soldier  is  to  be 
found  in  thine  armies." 

"  It  is  excellent  testimony,"  said  Nero,  running  his 
hands  again  through  the  jewels,  "  and  these  be  powerful 
advocates."  He  lifted  a  sapphire.  "  Mark  the  blue," 
he  said,  turning  to  Tigellinus. 

"  There  is  but  one  thing  bluer  and  brighter  in 
Rome,"  said  the  pretorian  prefect,  examining  the  jewel 
closely. 

"And  what  is  that?" 

"  Thine  eye,  O  Csesar.  And  this  diamond,"  continued 
Tigellinus,  selecting  a  brilliant  from  the  heap,  "  there 
is  but  one  thing  purer." 

"And  what  is  that?" 

"  Thy  voice,  divinity." 

"  Thou  dost  improve ;  by  the  gods,  thou  dost  im- 
prove. Look  to  thy  laurels,  Petronius,"  laughed  Nero, 
greatly  pleased  with  this  gross  and  vulgar  flattery. 
"Now,  soldier,  what  can  I  do  for  thee?  Thou  hast 
not  come  empty-handed  from  the  wars?  " 

"  I  have  a  little  treasure,"  answered  Regulus.  "  A 
trifle  to  thee,  but  enough  to  keep  a  common  soldier 
in  peace  and  quietness  in  his  declining  days." 

"  And  askest  thou  nothing  of  me?  " 


NERO  AND  HIS  SONG  131 

"But  little,  O  Csesar;  if  now  I  might  wear  a  ring 
like  that." 

Regulus  pointed  to  the  Emperor's  fat  hand  as  he 
spoke. 

"  It  is  not  enough  for  thy  deserts,  but  take  it,"  said 
Nero,  drawing  a  plain  gold  ring  from  his  finger  and 
extending  it  to  Regulus. 

The  latter  fell  to  his  knees  and  thrust  out  the  little 
finger  of  his  huge  hand,  upon  which,  after  some  diffi- 
culty, Nero  forced  on  the  ring. 

"  Rise,  sir  knight,"  he  said.  "  Get  thee  a  double 
stripe  upon  thy  tunic  at  once." 

"  Hail  to  Caesar,"  said  Regulus,  much  delighted,  rising 
to  his  feet  and  looking  admiringly  at  the  badge  of  his 
new  knighthood  on  his  stubby  finger. 

Nero  picked  up  one  of  the  smallest  brilliants  from 
the  heap  on  the  tripod  table  and  handed  it  to  Regulus. 

"  Knighthood  for  thy  services,  this  for  thine  hon- 
esty." 

"  Thou  hast  not  heard  all  that  the  worthy  knight 
hath  done  in  thy  service,  0  Caesar,"  said  Caius  Attilius, 
smiling. 

"What  more?" 

"The  gold  and  silver  that  was  being  carried  on  the 
Isis  was  landed,  by  this  worthy  soldier's  direction,  at 
Lasea,  in  Crete,  and  turned  over  to  thy  treasurer  there. 
The  ship  was  leaky  and  it  was  thought  best  not  to  trust 
the  precious  metals  within  her.  Some  of  the  more  port- 
able and  valuable  cargo  is  also  there  waiting  thy 
commands." 

"  Thou  hast  a  wise  head,  Regulus.     I  did  well  to- 


132    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

make  thee  knight;  I  shall  make  thee  a  senator  yet 
doubtless." 

"  The  gods  forbid,"  said  Regulus  piously.  "  I  am 
more  at  home  in  the  barracks  than  in  the  Senate 
chamber." 

"And  how  cometh  it,  Attilius,  that  all  this  was  done 
by  the  worthy  centurion  when  thou  wert  in  command?-" 
asked  Nero. 

"  I  was  sick,  ill  unto  death,"  answered  Attilius,  "  un- 
conscious with  African  fever.  We  were  attacked  by 
pirates,  two 

"  Pirates  in  the  Sea  of  Adria ! "  exclaimed  Nero. 
"  Anicetus,  if  thou  wouldst  remain  my  admiral  this 
must  be  looked  into." 

"  I  will  have  them  caught  and  crucified  at  once, 
divinity,"  hurriedly  answered  a  man  whose  vesture 
sported  a  trident  in  token  of  his  office. 

"  Whether  they  be  there  now  or  not  no  one  can  tell," 
said  Attilius,  "  for  we  were  bringing  with  us  on  the 
Isis  a  detachment  of  men  who  had  completed  their 
twenty  years  with  the  eagles.  The  pirates  boarded  us 
from  either  side;  the  legionaries  drove  them  back  upon 
their  own  ships  and  followed  after.  When  the  storm 
broke  upon  us  it  tore  the  three  locked  ships  apart,  and 
they  were  still  fighting  on  the  pirate  decks  when  we 
lost  sight  of  them.  We  have  heard  nothing  more 
of  them.  I  presume  they  foundered  in  the  ensuing 
gale." 

"And  thou?" 

"  Our  ship  was  so  badly  rammed  that  she  sank  in  a 
few  hours.  The  few  legionaries  left  aboard,  with  some 


NERO  AND  HIS  SONG  133 

of  the  seamen  and  Regulus,  made  a  raft  upon  which 
they  put  me,  and  we  drifted  for  three  days.  We  were 
picked  up  by  another  belated  corn  ship  from  Alexandria, 
the  Osiris,  upon  which  we  were  wrecked  at  Melita.  She 
carried  prisoners  from  Syria  and  Judea — 

"  Hast  thou  report  of  her?  "  asked  Nero,  turning  to 
Tigellinus. 

"  Not  yet,  majesty." 

"  We  left  them  at  Melita  waiting  transfer,"  continued 
Attilius,  "  and  came  hither  on  a  fast  galley  to  report. 
I  have  recovered  and  have  awaited  thee  here  according 
to  thy  command." 

"  He  hath  not  told  all,  most  noble  Caesar,"  said  Reg- 
ulus. "  We  had  been  captured,  and  those  bright  baubles 
on  the  tripod  yonder  had  been  lost  but  for  him.  They 
made  a  secret  attack  upon  the  rear  part  of  the  ship. 
They  climbed  into  the  after  cabin,  where  the  brave 
tribune  lay  scarce  conscious,  but  the  sight  of  the  faces 
of  your  enemies  peering  through  the  cabin  windows 
aroused  him.  He  got  to  his  feet,  the  gods  only  know 
how,  struck  savagely  with  his  sword,  and  drove  them 
back.  That  saved  us,  for  had  they  come  through  the 
cabin  and  fallen  on  our  backs  as  we  fought  on  deck, 
we  had  been  lost." 

"  My  duty  as  a  soldier,"  murmured  Attilius,  much 
confused. 

"How  can  I  reward  thee,  tribune?"  asked  Nero. 

"  The  Imperator  hath  honoured  me  with  his  friend- 
ship," said  Attilius  tactfully.  "  That  kiss  of  greeting 
hath  gained  me  the  envy  of  all  Rome,  and  I  ask  nothing 
but  a  continuance  of  that  friendship." 


THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  If  thou  wouldst  increase  that  envy  to  madness,  sing 
to  him,  divinity,"  interposed  Petronius  softly. 

"  Thou  art  ever  considerate  of  strangers,  Petronius," 
said  Nero,  looking  at  him  in  mock  resentment,  "  but 
careless  of  thy  Emperor." 

"  From  which,"  returned  the  arbiter  audaciously,  "  I 
infer  that  thou  art  not  in  good  voice  this  morning." 

"I — what  hast  thou  noticed?"  exclaimed  Nero  in 
alarm,  his  hand  going  to  his  throat.  "  I ' 

"  But  even  Caesar  at  his  worst  surpasses  the  world 
at  its  best,"  continued  Petronius  smoothly,  smiling  into 
the  face  of  the  Emperor  and  so  contagiously  that 
Nero's  good  humour  was  instantly  restored. 

"  If  thou  couldst  sing  as  well  as  thou  canst  turn  a 
compliment,  I  should  be  jealous  of  thee." 

"  And  had  I  not  thee  to  inspire  me,  I  should  be  at 
loss  for  words  also.  Who,  for  instance,  could  com- 
pliment our  worthy  prefect  here  save  on  his  black  looks  ? 
Cheer  up,  man,"  continued  Petronius,  who  much  en- 
joyed baiting  the  stupid,  brutal  Tigellinus,  "  thou  art 
in  the  presence  of  the  sun,  here  is  no  place  for 
clouds." 

And  again  the  gibe  was  received  in  silence  by  the 
soldier,  and  with  smiles  by  some  who  felt  sufficiently 
secure,  through  the  friendship  of  Nero,  to  venture  to 
incur  the  enmity  of  the  prefect;  not  very  many,  to  be 
sure. 

"  Bring  hither  the  harp,  Terpnos,"  said  Nero,  at 
which  the  whole  company  broke  into  rapturous  exclama- 
tions of  delight. 

The  skilled  musician  brought  the  unwrapped  cithara 


NERO  AND  HIS  SONG  135 

to  the  Emperor,  and  then  tenderly  took  the  handker- 
chief from  his  bull  neck. 

"What  shall  I  sing,  Petronius?  "  the  Caesar  asked, 
affectedly  clearing  his  throat.  "  Thou  knowest  my 
repertoire;  shall  it  be  something  of  Homer?  " 

"  Homer ! "  exclaimed  Petronius  contemptuously. 
"Dost  thou  really  seek  to  honour  Attilius,  divinity?" 

"  I  do ;  thou  knowest  it." 

"  Sing  something  of  thine  own,  then.  Let  outworn 
Homer  rest  in  that  oblivion  into  which  thou  hast  con- 
signed him  with  thine  own  incomparable  verses." 

"  And  thou  alone  of  all  my  court "  began  Nero. 

"  Art  worthy  of  thy  voice,  divinity ! "  interrupted 
Petronius  to  the  delight  of  the  Emperor,  who  seized  a 
jewel  from  the  heap  and  extended  it  to  the  arbiter. 

He  shook  his  head. 

"  Do  not  dim  the  lustre  of  thy  song  by  such  a  bauble 
as  that,  Caesar,"  said  Petronius.  "  Sing ;  that  is 
enough." 

And  Nero  sang.  It  was  neither  a  bad  song  nor  a 
bad  voice,  but  it  was  not  a  great  enough  song,  or  a 
great  enough  voice,  for  an  Emperor.  As  the  applause 
died  away,  Csesar  handed  back  the  harp. 

"  I  would  sing  longer  for  thee,  Attilius,"  he  said, 
"  but  it  is  early  in  the  morning.  I  must  save  my  voice. 
What  more  can  I  do  for  thee?  " 

"  Nothing.  Thy  voice,  like  thy  kindness,  overwhelms 
me,"  said  the  tribune,  bowing  low  and  biting  his  lips, 
whereat  Petronius  shot  a  meaning  glance  at  him,  recog- 
nising a  kindred  spirit.  Fortunately  neither  Tigellinus 
nor  the  Emperor  observed  it. 


136    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Thine  appreciation  of  an  artist  is  as  great  as  thy 
merit  as  a  soldier,"  said  Nero.  "  Enter  his  name  upon 
my  tablets,"  he  added,  turning  to  one  of  the  secretaries, 
"as  one  of  the  friends  of  Caesar  with  the  privilege  of 
access  to  our  presence  without  summons  or  announce- 
ment. I  wish  I  had  more  men  like  thee  about  me.'* 

"  By  the  gods,"  growled  Regulus  thoughtlessly,  "  I 
can  well  believe  that." 

He  surveyed  the  effeminate,  spiritless  crowd  which 
surrounded  the  Emperor  with  a  certain  grim  contempt 
which  greatly  amused  Nero.  In  the  midst  of  the  Em- 
peror's laughter,  Tigellinus  approached  and  spoke  a 
few  words  into  his  master's  ear. 

"  Tribune,"  said  Nero,  "  thou  hast  shown  thyself 
worthy  in  my  service.  I  trust  thee  as  I  trust  few  even 
of  my  own  household."  He  looked  about,  frowning  and 
glaring  somewhat  fiercely  at  those  around  him.  A  faint 
chorus  of  protest  arose  as  he  continued,  "  I  have  mes- 
sages of  great  importance  to  be  delivered  to  Otho  in 
Lusitania,  to  Julius  Vindex  in  Gaul,  and  Suetonius 
Paullus  in  Britain.  I  will  give  thee  a  century  or  a 
cohort  for  thy  escort  since  times  are  troubled.  Wilt 
thou  take  my  messages  and  bring  me  back  the  reports 
and  the  observations  of  a  trained  soldier?  " 

"  At  Caesar's  command,"  answered  Attilius,  compos- 
ing his  features  into  an  iron  calm  lest  his  disappointment 
at  being  thus  immediately  ordered  to  service  after  so 
long  an  absence  from  Rome  should  appear. 

"  Come  hither,"  said  Nero,  stepping  away  from  the 
assemblage,  followed  by  Tigellinus  alone.  "  I  know 
that  thou  hast  earned  a  rest  and  that  Rome  appeareth 


NERO  AND  HIS  SONG  137 

inviting  to  thy  youth  even  as  to  mine,  but  this  is  a 
commission  of  great  importance.  Much  dependeth  upon 
it.  There  are  few  that  I  can  trust.  Return  as  quickly 
as  thou  canst  and  my  favour  rideth  with  thee.  Thou 
shalt  be  legate  to  my  Corbulo  in  the  East,  and  a 
legion,  perhaps  later  an  army,  shall  be  committed  to 
thy  charge." 

"  My  life  is  Rome's  and  Rome  is  Nero's,"  answered 
Attilius  simply. 

"When  canst  thou  start?" 

"  To-day." 

"  That  is  well  said,"  answered  Nero.  "  Eh,  Tigelli- 
nus?" 

"  Well  said  indeed,  divinity,"  answered  the  prefect. 

"  Make  out  the  orders,  let  him  take  a  cohort  from 
one  of  the  legions  in  northern  Italy,  and  give  him  the 
packets.  Report  thyself  to  me  instantly  on  thy  return, 
and  let  nothing  escape  thy  observation  while  away," 
said  Nero  meaningly  to  Attilius.  "  Dost  understand  ? 
Thou  art  the  eyes  and  ears  of  Caesar." 

"  I  understand." 

"  That  is  well.  May  the  gods  speed  thee  on  thy  way 
and  bring  thee  safe  to  Rome  again." 

"  Thy  kindness  overwhelmeth  me,"  said  Attilius. 
"  The  messengers  of  Caesar  will  find  me  in  my  domus 
within  an  hour.  Have  we  thy  leave  to  withdraw?  " 

"  Thou  hast,"  said  Caesar,  "  but  stay."  He  selected 
carefully  a  stone  of  great  value  from  the  heap  of  jewels, 
one  of  the  largest  of  the  diamonds.  "  This  for  the 
woman  of  thy  heart." 

He  was  evidently  greatly  pleased  with  Attilius,  and 


138    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

he  knew  how  to  be  royally  generous  on  occasion.  The 
two  soldiers  bowed  low  before  him,  turned,  and  marched 
away.  Not  until  they  had  gained  the  street  and  were 
well  out  of  earshot  did  Regulus  break  forth. 

"  It  is  a  shame,"  he  said  indignantly,  "  that  thou 
shouldst  be  sent  away  from  Rome  ere  thou  hast  become 
safely  settled  there,  and  on  a  wild  errand  to  the  ends 
of  the  world,  to  Lusitania,  Gaul,  and  Britain — the  ut- 
most bounds  of  the  West." 

"  Be  silent,"  said  Caius  Attilius  warningly.  "  Caesar 
hath  ears  in  every  street.  It  is  part  of  a  soldier's  duty." 

"  Aye,"  said  Regulus,  "  I  see  through  it.  There  is 
not  one  he  can  trust  in  the  court.  Thou  art  fresh  in 
Rome,  uncontaminated  by  disloyalty,  unattached  to  any 
faction,  uninfluenced  by  the  intrigues  that  go  on  every- 
where." 

"  And  I  am  therefore  in  high  favour  with  Nero," 
laughed  Attilius.  "  Well,  I  have  but  little  to  keep  me 
here,"  but  as  he  spoke  he  thought  at  the  same  time 
of  Lady  Lollia  and  of  British  Gwenna. 

"  I  will  go  with  thee,"  said  Regulus  suddenly.  "  I 
am  not  to  old  to  put  on  the  harness  again,  and  Lusitania 
is  a  country  in  which  I  have  campaigned." 

"  Nay,"  said  Attilius,  "  thou  shalt  stay  here  and 
watch  over  my  house,  my  slaves,  my — 

"That  British  Gwenna  of  thine,"  said  Regulus 
bluntly,  filling  out  the  sentence. 

"  Even  so,"  replied  Attilius,  and  why  the  colour  came 
into  his  cheeks  as  he  did  so  he  could  not  tell,  although 
the  fact  annoyed  him  greatly. 

"  Well,  I  will  do  it  with  my  life,"  said  the  new-made 


NERO  AND  HIS  SONG  139 

knight.  "  Now  that  I  am  a  man  of  position  and  in- 
fluence," he  fondled  the  gold  ring  upon  his  little  finger, 
"  I  can  the  better  serve  thee." 

"  What  knowest  thou  of  Tigellinus  ?  " 

"  I  served  with  him  when  he  was  but  a  tribune  like 
thyself,  and  I  a  simple  legionary  in  the  ranks." 

"  And  didst  thou  love  him?  " 

"  Nay,  none  loved  him,  but  it  was  my  fortune  to  do 
him  some  trifling  service." 

"  And  that  was " 

"Well,  I  saved  his  life,  if  the  truth  be  told,  and  I 
have  often  thought  it  would  have  been  better  for  Rome 
had  I  not  done  so." 

"  Doth  he  still  remember  the  circumstance?  " 

"  I  shall  see." 

"  Meanwhile,  as  he  is  all-powerful  with  the  Emperor, 
thou  hadst  best  keep  on  his  good  side." 

"  And  so  I  shall,"  added  Regulus  thoughtfully,  "  if 
for  no  other  reason  than  for  thy  sake." 


CHAPTER  X 

THE    TRIBUNE    GOES    UPON    A    JOURNEY 

PREPARATIONS  for  the  journey  were  not  extensive,  nor 
did  it  require  much  time  for  Attilius  to  slip  into  his 
well-worn  armour,  to  have  his  modest  belongings  packed, 
and  to  detail  some  of  his  f  reedmen  and  slaves  to  accom- 
pany him.  Pheidippides,  with  the  counsel  of  Regulus, 
or  indeed  without  it,  was  quite  capable  of  attending 
to  his  master's  affairs.  A  few  words  put  the  major- 
domo  in  possession  of  the  necessary  facts.  A  long  time 
before  the  hour  he  had  set  for  his  departure,  the 
tribune  had  completed  his  preparations.  To  attempt 
to  see  Lollia  Claudia  at  this  hour  of  the  morning  would 
be  preposterous.  He  was  sure  that  unless  something 
extraordinary  was  toward  she  would  not  arise  until  long 
after  midday,  and  to  have  disturbed  her  before  would 
have  been  to  forfeit,  any  chance  at  her  affections. 

Caius  Attilius  had  a  wax-coated  writing  tablet 
brought  to  him,  and  indited  a  brief  letter  to  her,  in- 
forming her  of  the  courteous  and  distinguished  wel- 
come he  had  received  at  the  Emperor's  hands,  of  the 
commission  which  had  been  thrust  upon  him,  and  that 
he  was  compelled,  to  his  very  great  regret,  to  depart 
without  seeing  her,  and  so  bade  her  farewell.  To  trace 
these  letters  upon  the  wax,  to  fold  together,  tie  and 
seal  the  leaves,  and  entrust  the  delivery  to  one  of  the 

140 


THE  TRIBUNE  GOES  UPON  A  JOURNEY    141 

slaves,  took  also  but  little  time.  Strangely  enough 
he  did  not  send  her  the  Emperor's  jewel! 

He  looked  toward  the  water-clock.  It  was  drawing 
on  to  the  hour  of  twelve,  which  was  the  time  set  for 
his  departure.  Regulus  had  withdrawn  for  the  time 
being,  and  with  the  departure  of  the  messenger  to 
Lollia,  Attilius  was  left  alone.  He  clapped  his  hands 
and  bade  the  answering  slave  send  British  Gwenna  into 
his  presence. 

In  a  moment  she  stood  before  him.  She  was  clad 
this  time  in  a  longer  tunic  of  a  beautiful  blue  colour 
which  reached  to  her  ankles.  Her  delicate  feet  were 
shod  in  sandals  laced  with  blue  like  the  tunic.  The 
garment  was  girdled  below  the  breast  and  was  of  the 
sleeveless  variety.  Nothing  could  have  better  become 
her.  The  gorgeous  tissue  of  silver  had  detracted  from 
rather  than  added  to  her  beauty,  but  the  blue  tunic 
brought  out  every  radiance  of  her  face  and  colour. 
The  graceful  folds  suggested  rather  than  concealed  the 
youthful,  yet  already  splendid,  figure  they  enshrouded. 

Attilius  stared  at  her  without  a  word.  He  reflected 
afterward  that  whenever  she  came  into  his  presence  she 
seemed  to  strike  him  speechless,  and  it  was  usually  she 
who  had  to  break  the  silence.  He  had  been  ready  enough 
with  his  answers  when  he  conversed  with  the  all-power- 
ful Nero  who  could  ruin  him  with  a  word,  but  this 
woman  whom  he  owned,  with  whom  he  could  do  as  he 
liked  and  no  hand  could  be  raised  in  her  defence,  no 
voice  speak  a  word  in  her  behalf,  made  him  strangely 
dumb  and  silent. 

"  Thou  hast  sent  for  me — master,"  she  began  at  last. 


142    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

There  was  a  long  hesitation  between  the  first  words 
and  the  last.  The  maiden  did  not  love  the  title,  and 
yet  without  compunction  she  said  it  deliberately.  Old 
Lais  had  been  talking  to  her  evidently.  Her  de- 
meanour outwardly  was  even  submissive.  She  stood 
with  her  head  slightly  bent  and  with  her  hands  crossed 
upon  her  breast,  and  the  little  touch  of  humility  made 
her  even  more  beautiful  than  before.  How  different 
she  was  from  the  black-haired,  black-eyed,  brilliant 
Lollia  Claudia !  Yet,  although  that  one  had  never  stood 
before  him  a  slave,  this  girl's  bearing,  in  spite  of  her 
attitude,  was  really  as  full  of  pride  as  if  she  had  been 
the  daughter  of  a  hundred  senators  of  Rome. 

"  Yes,"  said  Attilius,  "  I  did  send  for  thee  to  bid 
thee  farewell." 

Now,  there  was  no  reason  on  earth  why  Caius  Attilius 
should  bid  the  newest  of  his  slaves  farewell,  and  he 
fully  realised  the  unusualness  of  his  position,  although 
she  was  as  yet  so  little  accustomed  to  her  servitude  that 
she  did  not  realise  it  at  all.  And  indeed  a  feeling  of 
dismay  at  the  announcement  so  instantly  possessed  her 
that  she  gave  no  thought  to  other  things. 

In  all  the  months  that  had  elapsed  since  her  cap- 
tivity, he  was  the  only  Roman  who  had  shown  her 
the  least  degree  of  kindness  or  human  feeling.  Her 
beauty,  her  availability,  had  saved  her  from  the  out- 
rages which  had  been  visited  upon  her  less  fortunate 
sisters.  She  was  too  valuable  a  piece  of  property  to 
be  spoiled  in  transit,  but  she  had  been  regarded  and 
treated  simply  as  a  piece  of  merchandise.  Her  feelings 
had  been  outraged,  her  person  exposed.  She  had  been 


THE  TRIBUNE  GOES  UPON  A  JOURNEY    143 

discussed  and  commented  upon  as  if  she  had  no  more 
human  feeling  than  a  horse. 

She  had  borne  these  indignities  because  she  had  to, 
because  she  was  without  even  a  semblance  of  a  weapon. 
Her  captors  had  taken  good  care  to  see  that  no  means 
of  doing  herself  bodily  harm  was  ever  available.  They 
had  even  cut  her  finger-nails  close  lest  she  should  scratch 
her  cheeks  and  so  mar  her  beauty  and  render  herself 
less  salable.  She  had  tried  to  starve  herself,  but  they 
had  forced  her  to  eat,  and  they  had  watched  her  con- 
stantly day  and  night.  The  scene  in  the  courtyard 
when  she  had  struck  old  Phryx  to  prevent  an  exposure 
of  herself  to  that  gaping  mob  had  been  the  climax  of 
all  the  tortures  she  had  endured. 

She  had  heard  vaguely  of  the  treatment  accorded 
to  slaves  by  the  Romans,  and  all  that  she  had  heard 
had  been  intensified  by  the  jibes  of  the  slave  dealers 
to  whom  she  had  fallen.  She  had  at  first  expected 
little  better  at  the  hands  of  Attilius.  He  seemed  some- 
what different  from  the  rest,  it  is  true,  and  he  had 
undeniably  interfered  in  her  behalf  in  those  awful  mo- 
ments on  the  slave  dealer's  block,  but  whether  he  wished 
to  preserve  her  for  himself  or  for  other  reasons  she 
could  not  tell. 

Yet  since  she  had  been  of  his  household  her  treat- 
ment had  been  kindly,  even  gentle.  Except  that  she  was 
a  slave,  a  bitter  thing  for  her  to  realise,  no  more  con- 
siderate usage  could  have  been  meted  out  to  her;  noth- 
ing degrading  or  humiliating  had  been  required  of  her, 
nothing  of  the  kind  seemed  to  be  intended  toward  her. 
There  was  a  pleasanter,  a  more  contented  atmosphere 


144.          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

in  the  establishment  of  the  tribune  than  she  had  deemed 
possible. 

Slaves  took  their  cues  from  their  masters.  A  cruel 
master,  a  hard,  harsh,  ruthless  owner,  made  hard,  harsh, 
ruthless,  cruel  slaves  and  each  one  in  his  separate  sphere 
meted  out  to  those  beneath  him  the  same  treatment  that 
he  received;  the  converse  proposition  was,  naturally, 
equally  true.  There  is  a  contagion  in  good  breeding 
as  well  as  in  bad.  Although  he  was  a  soldier,  Attilius 
was  in  the  best  sense  of  the  word  a  Roman  gentleman, 
and  his  example  was  not  without  force  even  among  the 
motley  people  he  held  in  bondage. 

Lais,  the  matron  of  the  slaves  and  the  head  of  the 
women's  quarters,  and  Pheidippides,  the  freedman 
major-domo,  followed  the  tribune's  example,  and  even 
when  Attilius  was  not  in  residence  things  went  on  much 
as  they  did  when  he  was  there,  perhaps  a  little  more 
easily,  if  the  truth  be  told. 

The  loss  of  liberty  and  the  personal  restraint  was  a 
dreadful  thing  to  the  freeborn  British  maiden,  but  since 
liberty  was  lost  and  she  was  restrained,  she  had  begun 
to  thank  her  gods  that  she  was  where  she  was.  She 
could  remember  the  leering,  brutal,  lustful  faces  of 
the  other  Romans  who  had  bid  for  her.  She  might  have 
fallen  into  their  hands  instead  of  to  this  kindly  soldier. 
She  had  not  yet  learned  that  the  bravest  were  the  ten- 
derest  or  the  loving  were  the  daring — which  indeed 
was  not  always  true,  especially  in  Rome — but  she  had 
wondered  if  such,  in  substance,  might  not  be  true  of 
Caius  Attilius.  And  as  she  wondered  so  she  also  prayed. 

She  could  never  be  happy,  she  thought,  as  a  slave, 


THE  TRIBUNE  GOES  UPON  A  JOURNEY    145 

but  after  all  to  which  she  had  been  subjected,  and  after 
the  possibilities  that  had  loomed  before  her,  the  quiet 
domus  of  the  tribune  was  like  a  haven  of  rest.  She 
was  almost  becoming  contented.  Her  father,  her 
brethren,  had  been  killed  when  the  Iceni  had  been  con- 
quered by  the  Romans,  her  mother  had  died  long  be- 
fore, and  she  was  alone.  Some  rude  British  chieftain 
might  have  seized  her  and  borne  her  away,  willy-nilly, 
to  his  forest  lair;  in  which  case  at  least  her  fate  would 
not  have  been  much  better  than  her  present  condition. 

She  was  a  woman  of  fine  instincts  and  deep  feelings 
which  had  been  intensified  by  the  unusual  education 
she  had  received  in  Roman  Gaul,  and  she  looked  forward 
with  positive  pleasure  to  the  lessons  of  Eurotas  in 
the  Greek  tongue,  in  which  so  many  treasures  were 
written.  To  be  reader  to  her  master — if  she  could 
once  get  over  that  mastership ! — promised  pleasant 
things.  She  would  study  diligently  to  deserve  and  re- 
ceive his  approval,  hoping  to  fit  herself  for  the  promised 
position  and  perhaps  some  day  earn  her  freedom.  Mean- 
while, taught  by  old  Lais,  she  had  already  begun  to 
acquire  the  nice  art  of  properly  draping  a  toga. 

She  was  a  sensible,  if  hot-tempered,  young  woman  in 
a  way,  too.  She  realised  the  inevitable  since  it  was 
presented  to  her,  and  she  had  made  up  her  mind  to 
accept  it  with  such  philosophy  as  she  could,  praying 
to  her  gods  that  her  honour,  if  not  her  dignity,  might 
be  preserved.  She  would  deserve  well  of  Attilius  by 
her  faithful  services,  by  her  studious  application,  by 
her  aptitude,  by  her  humility.  Her  cheek  flushed  and 
her  bosom  heaved  as  she  pronounced  the  word  to  herself. 


146    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

It  was  not  a  pleasant  word  to  have  to  speak,  even  to 
have  to  think,  for  this  freeborn,  haughty,  imperious 
maiden. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  one  factor  in  reconciling  her 
to  her  lot,  which  is  not  the  least  important  because  it 
has  been  left  to  the  last,  was  Attilius  himself.  There 
was  no  more  handsome,  splendid  type  of  Roman  man- 
hood in  all  Italy  than  he.  Young,  well  above  the  aver- 
age height,  well-knit,  active,  martial,  arrogant — even 
that  last  quality  thrilled  the  maiden  !  She  had  woman's 
wit  enough,  in  spite  of  her  youth,  to  realise  that  she 
had  made  an  impression  upon  the  master,  and  she  was 
woman  enough  to  desire  to  deepen  that  impression, 
which  she  was  consciously  or  unconsciously  determined 
to  do,  not  realising  the  possible  consequences  to  him 
or  to  her. 

It  was,  therefore,  with  a  tremendous  sense  of  shock 
that  she  received  the  communication  of  the  intentions 
of  the  tribune.  That  he  should  announce  his  departure 
now  when  she  had  just  made  up  her  mind,  at  what  cost 
he  would  never  know,  that  she  would  submit  to  the 
inevitable  and  strive  to  deserve  his  kindness,  swept  her 
away  from  her  moorings  at  once.  She  had  not  yet 
learned  that  the  will  of  Attilius  was  the  will  of  the 
household.  She  feared  that  with  him  gone  her  position 
would  be  entirely  changed.  Dismay  overwhelmed  her, 
nor  was  the  dismay  due  entirely  to  the  fear  of  the 
consequences  of  his  absence.  It  was  dismay  because  he 
was  going  and  she  should  not  see  him  for  a  long  time. 

She  had  planned  to  exhibit  to  him,  day  by  day,  as 
he  gave  her  opportunity,  the  advances  she  made  in  her 


THE  TRIBUNE  GOES  UPON  A  JOURNEY    147 

studies,  and  she  had  counted  unconsciously  upon  his 
encouragement.  But  now  she  felt  almost  as  lost  and 
alone  as  she  had  when  she  had  been  first  seized  in  the 
plundered  camp,  defenceless  before  what  enemies  the 
gods  alone  knew.  This  bereavement  flashed  swiftly 
through  her  mind. 

"Thou  art  going  away,  lord?"  she  asked,  staring 
at  him  with  frightened,  eyes. 

"  To  my  very  great  regret,  yes." 

"  Will  it  be  for  a  long  time?  " 

"  Perhaps  for  six  months,  or  it  may  be  for  a  year." 

"  But  thou  wilt  come  back?  " 

"  As  soon  as  I  can." 

"  Take  me  with  thee,"  she  broke  out  in  all  innocence. 

"  On  a  soldier's  errand  ?  " 

"  But  why  must  thou  go,  and  where?  "  she  continued, 
utterly  oblivious  to  her  slavery  and  the  impropriety  of 
questioning  her  master  as  to  his  comings  and  goings. 

Her  dismay  was  so  manifest,  her  concern  so  patent, 
and  both  were  so  pleasant  to  Attilius  that  he  over- 
looked them.  Many  times  as  she  stood  before  him  he 
quite  forgot  that  she  was  a  slave  and  his  property.  He 
treated  her  as  he  would  any  other  maiden  with  whom 
he  might  come  in  contact. 

"  The  answer  to  thy  question  is  short,  British 
Gwcnna.  At  the  Emperor's  command  and  wherever  he 
sendeth  me." 

"  But  Lais  said  that  thou  hadst  been  away  long 
years  at  the  wars  and  that  thou  hadst  come  home  to 
rest  and  enjoy  thyself." 

"  Lais  is  a  wise  old  woman  and  she  hath  truly  set 


148          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

forth  my  purpose.  But  it  is  the  Caesar's  will  that 
governeth." 

"  And  thou  must  go?  " 

"  I  must." 

"  And  dost  thou  like  thy  errand  ?  " 

"  I  did  not  care  very  much,"  answered  Attilius  truth- 
fully, "  until " 

"  Until  thou  didst  think  of  the  lady  Lollia,"  flashed 
out  the  slave. 

"  What  knowest  thou  of  the  lady  Lollia  ?  "  asked 
Attilius,  frowning  heavily. 

"  I  know  but  little — the  girls  in  the  slave  quar- 
ters   She  faltered,  suddenly  conscious  of  her 

grave  blunder. 

"  They  gossip  too  much,"  thundered  the  tribune,  his 
frown  deepening.  "  I  am  too  kind  a  master." 

His  brow  was  now  black  with  growing  indignation. 

"  I  have  offended  thee,"  protested  Gwenna  humbly 
and  remorsefully,  "  and  thou  hast  treated  me  so  kindly. 
I  make  but  poor  reward  for  thy  gentle  usage.  The 
fault  is  mine.  I  encouraged  them  to  talk  about  thee. 

I  wanted  to  know "  She  stopped  suddenly  again, 

realising  upon  the  verge  of  what  perilous  admission 
she  had  been  led.  And  then  she  did  a  strange  thing. 
She  fell  on  her  knees  and  extended  her  hands  to  him. 
"  Master,"  she  said,  "  forgive  them  and  me.  Thine 
anger — hurteth." 

"  Fear  not "  began  Attilius  more  mildly. 

"  Nay,"  interrupted  the  woman,  "  it  is  not  fear  that 
maketh  me  kneel." 

"  Rise   then,"   said   the   tribune  not  unkindly.      "  I 


THE  TRIBUNE  GOES  UPON  A  JOURNEY    149 

pass  it  by  for  this  time,  but  let  there  be  no  more  gossip 
of  the  lady  Lollia  or  of  my  affairs.  Besides,"  he  ad- 
mitted frankly,  "  I  am  sorry  to  have  to  go  because  I 
must  leave  thee  behind.  I  should  have  enjoyed  noting 
thy  progress  and — but  thou  wilt  be  quite  safe  with 
Pheidippides  and  Lais  and  the  worthy  knight,  Regulus, 
new  made  by  Csesar  this  morning.  He  hath  promised 
to  abide  here  and  take  care  of  my  proper — of  thee," 
he  added  as  he  saw  the  woman's  face  flush.  "  Thou  wilt 
be  a  faithful  maiden,  and  when  I  return  I  shall  expect 
great  things  of  thee.  Thou  wilt  not  be  confined  to  the 
house,  but  under  suitable  escort  mayest  go  abroad  and 
see  the  great  city  in  its  power  and  in  its  beauty.  I 
forget  not  that  thou  art  the  daughter  of  a  chieftain  in 
thine  own  land,  and  I  shall  give  orders  to  Pheidippides 
that  any  reasonable  wish  of  thine  shall  be  respected,  so 
thou  dost  not  seek  to  escape  me." 

"  To  whom  could  I  turn  but  to  thee,  lord ;  where  else 
might  I  seek  shelter?  "  asked  the  woman.  "  I  will  study 
to  deserve  thy  commendation,  and  again  for  all  that 
thou  hast  done,  I  thank  thee.  The  words  are  simple," 
she  continued,  "  but  they  mean  much." 

She  had  arisen,  she  stepped  forward,  seized  his  hand, 
bent  low  over  it  as  she  had  done  in  the  slave  market, 
and  kissed  it.  The  warm  touch  of  her  lips  sent  a 
strange  thrill  through  the  young  Roman.  He  was  not 
ready,  however,  in  his  dealings  with  women,  especially 
with  a  woman  who  was  at  once  princess  and  slave.  An 
awkward  pause,  or  what  would  have  been  an  awkward 
pause  if  it  had  been  prolonged,  was  broken  by  the 
entrance  of  Pheidippides. 


150          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Worthy  tribune,"  he  began,  "  the  messengers  of 
Nero  are  at  the  door." 

"  Admit  them  into  the  atrium." 

In  a  moment  a  centurion  of  the  pretorians  came  in. 
He  bore  in  his  hand  several  packets  sealed  with  the 
Emperor's  seal.  He  stopped  and  saluted. 

"  Greeting,"  he  said  tersely,  "  to  the  noble  tribune." 
"  Greeting,"  answered  Attilius,  "  to  the  messenger 
of  Cffisar." 

"  Here  are  thy  messages,"  said  the  centurion,  step- 
ping forward  and  placing  the  several  packets  in  the 
extended  hand  of  the  tribune,  "  to  Csesar's  legates  in 
Lusitania,  Gaul,  and  Britain.  Here  also,"  continued 
the  officer,  presenting  another  unsealed  packet,  "  are 
thine  orders.  From  the  garrison  at  Ariminium  thou 
wilt  take,  a  cohort  in  accordance  with  thy  fancy.  The 
imperial  treasurers  have  orders  to  furnish  thee  with  the 
money  thou  wilt  need,  and  every  officer  of  the  Empire 
is  here  bid  to  speed  thee  on  thy  way.  If  aught  else  be 
required,  Caesar  bade  me  ask  thee  to  declare  it  and  he 
would  see  that  it  was  provided." 

"  Say  to  the  Imperator  that  what  he  hath  done  is 
more  than  enough.  Declare  to  him  also  that  by  the  time 
thou  art  in  his  presence  I  shall  be  on  the  way." 

"  Health  and  success  attend  thee,"  said  the  centurion, 
saluting.  "  Farewell." 

"  For  thy  good  wishes,  many  thanks." 
"And  may  the  gods  have  thee  in  their  keeping." 
As  the  centurion  turned  away  Gwenna  spoke  again: 
"  Thou  wilt  go  to  Britain,  thou  wilt  see  the  land  of 
my  birth,  its  hills  and  valleys,  its  fertile  fields,  its  noble 


THE  TRIBUNE  GOES  UPON  A  JOURNEY    151 

woodlands,  its  silvery  rivers !  Would  that  I  might  go 
with  thee,  lord !  " 

"  Who  knoweth,  British  Gwenna,  the  ordering  of  the 
Fates?"  said  Attilius.  "Some  day  thou  mayest  look 
upon  that  land  again;  and  as  for  me,  when  I  set  foot 
upon  it  I  shall  think  of  thee " 

"  Waiting  thy  return,"  said  the  maiden,  smiling 
through  her  tears. 

"  And  if  that  doth  not  resemble  perilously  the  parting 
of  two  lovers,"  thought  old  Pheidippides,  surveying  the 
scene,  "  my  old  heart  doth  not  recognise  the  ancient 
symptoms." 


BOOK  III 
THE   DISPLEASURE   OF   THE  EMPEROR 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  MAIDEN  IS   LOST 

A  SUCCESSION  of  events  had  detained  Caius  Attilius  far 
beyond  his  expectations.  He  had  left  Rome  about  the 
winter  solstice.  A  year  and  more  had  elapsed  and 
spring  was  now  beginning  for  the  second  time  since 
his  departure.  He  had  seen  some  service,  eagerly  wel- 
coming the  opportunity,  under  Otho  in  Spain,  had 
passed  some  time  with  Julius  Vindex  in  Gaul,  and  had 
taken  part  with  distinction  in  one  sharp  and  exciting 
campaign  in  Britain  under  Suetonius  Paullus,  who  was 
rapidly  subduing  the  southern  part  of  that  turbulent, 
liberty-loving  island.  But  now  he  was  rejoiced  to  be 
back  in  the  city  again. 

Having  delivered  his  report  to  the  Emperor  instantly 
on  his  return  to  Rome,  he  had  been  graciously  com- 
mended for  the  discharge  of  his  duty  with  a  promise 
of  a  relief  from  further  service,  and  an  intimation 
that  whenever  he  had  had  enough  of  the  idleness  of  the 
city  he  should  have  the  leadership  of  a  legion  under 
Corbulo,  in  Asia  Minor,  with  the  right  of  succession 
to  the  supreme  command  in  the  Far  East  when  that 
worthy  soldier  should  retire  or  withdraw.  With  further 
profuse  promises  of  greater  rewards  from  Nero,  with 
whom  he  stood  in  high  favour  because  the  Emperor  saw 
but  little  of  him,  Attilius  made  all  speed  to  his  domus 
on  the  Aventine,  passing  on  the  way  the  residence  of 

155 


156          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

the  senator  Publius  Claudius,  Lollia's  father.  If  he 
had  stopped  to  think  about  it  his  failure  to  avail  him- 
self of  the  opportunity  for  a  call  upon  Lollia  might 
have  given  rise  to  a  suspicion  as  to  the  state  of  his 
affections. 

Truth  to  tell,  his  mind  was  so  full  of  Gwenna  that 
he  did  not  give  a  passing  moment  to  the  fair  lady 
whom  he  had  once  fancied  might  become  the  mistress 
of  his  household.  The  thought  of  Gwenna  had  been 
with  him  much  more  constantly  than  befitted  her  lowly 
station.  For  her  sake  he  had  struck  with  the  flat  of 
the  sword  rather  than  with  the  edge  of  the  blade  those 
British  barbarians  against  whom  he  had  campaigned ; 
and  for  her  sake  he  had  spared  men  and  women  who 
would  otherwise  have  filled  his  purse  with  their  ransoms, 
or  their  price  as  slaves.  All  of  her  compatriots  he 
had  taken  he  had  allowed  to  go  free  in  her  name,  in- 
cluding some  of  her  own  tribe  of  Iceni.  But  he  had 
no  thought  of  extending  the  same  gift  of  liberty  to 
Gwenna — on  the  contrary  ! 

He  wondered  what  had  happened  to  her  in  the  year ; 
whether  she  had  added  Greek  to  her  ability  to  use  the 
ruder  Latin  language  which  she  spoke  with  just  the 
shade  of  an  accent  that  would  have  been  torture  to 
Cicero  but  that  was  sweet  to  him.  He  speculated  as 
to  how  she  would  grapple  with  the  majesty  and  grace 
of  the  Attic  tongue.  The  neglect  of  his  own  education 
was  pressed  home  to  him,  and  he  resolved,  as  he  had 
many  times,  often  to  avail  himself  of  her  powers  as 
his  reader,  provided  she  had  fitted  herself  for  the 
position. 


THE  MAIDEN  IS  LOST  157 

He  thought  with  a  thrill  as  he  hastened  along  the 
way,  attended  by  the  slaves  he  had  taken  with  him, 
that  in  a  short  time  he  would  doff  the  heavy  war  harness 
which  he  had  worn  almost  constantly  since  his  departure, 
that  he  would  enjoy  a  refreshing  bath,  and  then  that 
over  a  fresh  tunic  her  white,  graceful  hands  would 
drape  the  spotless  toga  of  his  Roman  citizenship. 

He  wondered  if  she  would  be  clumsy  at  that  task. 
He  wondered  if  she  would  hesitate  and  stumble  in  her 
reading ;  and  if  either,  he  wondered  why.  He  wondered 
how  she  would  meet  him  or  greet  him.  He  wondered 
many  things,  and  he  had  wondered  them  often  while 
he  had  been  away.  The  journey  from  the  palace  to 
his  home  was  all  too  short  to  exhaust  his  thoughts,  all 
too  long  for  his  desires.  He  quickened  his  steps,  and 
but  that  it  had  been  undignified  he  would  have  run 
as  he  came  in  sight  of  his  vestibule. 

Syfax,  the  porter,  stood  within.  Caius  Attilius  trav- 
elled faster  than  couriers  usually,  and  he  had  made 
the  last  stage  of  the  journey  down  through  Italy  at 
headlong  speed.  No  message  of  his  coming  had  pre- 
ceded him.  Syfax  was  startled  almost  out  of  his  wits 
by  the  sudden  appearance  of  his  master.  He  recovered 
himself  instantly,  and  his  loud  and  hearty  greeting 
echoed  through  the  vestibule  into  the  atrium  and  even 
into  the  peristyle  beyond. 

"  Salve,  Domine !  "  he  cried  in  his  great  voice.  "  The 
master  is  home,"  he  shouted,  scarcely  waiting  for  any 
return  to  his  greeting.  "  What  ho,  within — the  noble 
Attilius  returns." 

The  house,  which  had  been  quiet  enough  in  all  con- 


158    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

science,  awoke  suddenly  into  activity.  Pheidippides, 
from  the  office  in  which  he  transacted  his  patron's  busi- 
ness, instantly  appeared.  Lais  came  running  from  the 
women's  quarters.  The  atrium  was  immediately  filled 
with  men  and  women  all  uttering  greetings,  the  sin- 
cerity of  which  was  attested  by  the  smiles  on  the  faces 
of  the  slaves.  Attilius  comprehended  the  multitude  in 
one  sweeping  glance,  seeking  for  a  tunic  of  blue  and 
a  head  covered  by  that  reddish-gold  coronet  upon  which 
his  mind  had  dwelt  so  often.  She  was  not  there!  A 
shade  of  annoyance  swept  across  his  face. 

"  Noble  Attilius,"  began  Pheidippides  nervously  and 
with  great  agitation,  "  we  have  missed  thee  sorely ; 
never  had  we  more  need  of  thee  than  now." 

"  It  is  good  to  be  back  again,"  answered  the  Roman, 
handing  his  sword  to  one,  his  helmet  to  another,  while 
a  third  unbuckled  his  belt,  and  a  fourth  made  haste 
to  relieve  him  of  his  cuirass.  "  Have  me  a  bath  pre- 
pared at  once,"  he  said  to  the  slave  charged  with  that 
duty,  "  and  bring  me  a  fresh  tunic,  new  sandals  to  take 
the  place  of  these  harsh  military  boots,  a  toga — by 
all  the  gods,  it  is  good  to  be  among  you  all  again  in 
Rome.  Thou  saidst  that  thou  hadst  need  of  me,  Phei- 
dippides, and  indeed  thou  hast  a  troubled  look.  What 
is  amiss  in  the  familia?  " 

Pheidippides  looked  at  the  young  tribune  with  grow- 
ing hesitation.  He  had  news  which  his  heart  divined 
would  not  be  welcome,  and  just  how  to  break  it  he 
could  not  quite  decide.  Every  slave  in  the  household 
knew  the  situation  as  well  as  the  freedman,  and  the 
smiles  and  murmurings  suddenly  ceased. 


THE  MAIDEN  IS  LOST  159 

"  I  do  not  see  the  worthy  knight,  Regulus ;  where 
is  he?  "  continued  the  master. 

"Unfortunately,  he  was  called  to  Brundisium,"  an- 
swered Pheidippides,  "  on  a  matter  of  business  a  few 
days  since.  If  he  had  been  here  it  had  not  happened." 

"What  had  not  happened?"  asked  Attilius.  His 
thoughts  instantly  turned  to  the  absent.  There  might 
be  hundreds  of  slaves  who  were  not  there,  he  could  not 
begin  to  know  them  all  by  name  or  even  by  appearance, 
but  he  at  once  divined  that  what  they  were  perturbed 
about,  or  what  they  were  keeping  from  him,  related 
to  Gwenna.  "  Why  do  ye  stand  there  staring?  "  he 
thundered,  stepping  forward  and  frowning,  whereat 
they  all  fell  back.  "  Answer  me,  Pheidippides.  By  the 
gods,  I  shall  repent  me  of  having  made  thee  free. 
Where  is  the  maiden?  " 

Although  no  mention  had  been  made  of  British 
Gwenna  it  was  more  than  evident  that  his  question  had 
struck  home.  And  still  no  one  answered.  No  one 
dared. 

"  By  great  Jupiter  himself,"  thundered  the  tribune, 
"  are  ye  all  struck  dumb?  Thou,  Lais,  hast  a  woman's 
tongue;  it  runneth  fast  enough  on  occasion.  Speak 
thou." 

"  My  lord,  my  lord,"  faltered  old  Lais,  "  remember 
that  I  held  thee  against  this  breast  when  thou  wert  a 
child." 

"  I  mean  thee  no  harm,"  said  Attilius  more  mildly, 
"  but  I  shall  kill  some  one  if  I  be  not  told.  Pheidippides, 
any  of  you,  answer  me." 

"  She   hath    gone,"   burst   from   one   or  two   in  the 


160          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

crowd,  and  taking  advantage  of  their  numbers  the 
whole  assemblage  now  gave  him  that  startling  reply. 

"  Gone !  "  exclaimed  Attilius,  whose  dismay  and  dis- 
appointment needed  not  to  be  imagined  they  were  so 
apparent.  "  Where  ?  " 

"  Lord,  we  know  not !  "  answered  Pheidippides,  at  last 
finding  voice. 

"When?" 

"  Last  night." 

"With  whom?" 

"  With  thy  slave — Zoilus." 

"  The  cellarer?  " 

"  The  same." 

"  Hath  he  disappeared  too  ?  " 

"  We  found  him  drunk  on  the  Via  Sacra  early  this 
morning  and  brought  him  home.  He  was  stupid  with 
liquor,  and  I  flung  him  into  a  cell  and  set  a  watch  over 
him." 

"  Thou  hast  well  done,"  said  Attilius  grimly.  He 
turned  to  the  man  who  had  charge  of  the  slaves,  a 
brawny  Cappadocian,  named  Gellia.  "  Bring  him 
hither." 

"  And  if  he  should  still  be  drunk?  "  asked  that  func- 
tionary. 

"  Souse  him  in  the  fountain  of  the  peristyle  until  he 
recover  his  wits,  but  bring  him  hither  and  quickly.  Now 
tell  me  what  thou  hast  done,"  he  said,  turning  to  Phei- 
dippides, as  the  keeper  and  the  other  slaves  whom  he 
had  commanded  hastened  away. 

"  There  is  but  little  to  tell,  lord,"  answered  the  freed- 
man.  "  Gwenna,  with  the  other  skves,  had  liberty  to 


THE  MAIDEN  IS  LOST  161 

go  out  under  proper  escort.  Generally  old  Eurotas 
accompanied  her  when  she  went  abroad " 

"  Eurotas — where  is  he?  " 

"  111  of  a  fever.  He  would  be  here  to  greet  thee  if 
he  could  crawl  from  his  bed." 

"  Proceed." 

"  Eurotas  being  ill  and  Gwenna  having  some  errand 
into  which  I  did  not  inquire,  Zoilus  volunteered  to  escort 
her  whither  she  would." 

"  Was  he  in  liquor  then?  " 

"  I  did  not  notice." 

"  Oh,  Pheidippides,  Pheidippides !  " 

"  Reproach  me  not,  lord,  else  under  thy  displeasure 
I  shall  despatch  a  life  that,  though  thou  hast  made  me 
free,  is  thine  alway,"  answered  the  old  man  remorse- 
fully. 

"  Nay,  nay,"  said  Attilius  more  kindly,  "  I  will  for- 
give thee  so  no  harm  come  to  the  maiden." 

"  The  sweetest  maiden  in  all  thy  household,"  said 
Lais.  "  I  have  listened  while  she  studied  with  Eurotas. 
She  readeth  my  noble  tongue  with  the  sweetness  and 
fire  of  Sappho." 

"  She  is  as  learned  as  Aspasia,"  added  Pheidippides 
mournfully.  "  Even  the  worthy  Regulus,  who  giveth 
but  little  thought  to  women,  cherisheth  her." 

"Enough,"  cried  Attilius.  "You  madden  me;  she 
is  gone." 

"Here  is  Zoilus,  master,"  cried  the  Cappadocian, 
dragging  after  him  a  huge  slave  dripping  with  water, 
his  head  rolling,  his  eyes  still  stupid. 

"  Thou  drunkard,"  cried  Attilius,  clenching  his  hands 


162    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

and  feeling  for  the  sword  that  had  hung  so  long  by 
his  side,  "  what  hast  thou  done  with  the  maiden 
Gwenna  ?  " 

Zoilus  stared  stupidly  at  his  master  at  first,  not  the 
faintest  appreciation  of  his  position  having  yet  entered 
his  head.  But  the  ducking  he  had  received  and  the 
terror  which  suddenly  fell  upon  him  at  the  fact  that 
Attilius  was  there,  the  incarnation  of  wrathful  passion, 
quickly  cleared  his  brain.  He  suddenly  remembered  all. 
He  fell  to  the  marble  pavement,  caught  the  booted  feet 
of  the  Roman,  and  grovelled  in  terror. 

"  Forgive,  lord,"  he  wailed.  "  I  did  but  try  to  snatch 
a  kiss." 

Attilius  spurned  him  with  his  foot  as  if  he  had  been 
a  craven  cur. 

"  Stand  up,  thou,"  he  cried.  "  Thou  shalt  die  upon 
thy  feet,  like  a  man,  rather  than  grovel  like  the  reptile 
thou  art.  Drag  him  up,"  he  continued,  as  the  slaves 
hauled  the  cellarer  to  his  feet  and  held  him  weak  and 
trembling  before  the  infuriated  tribune. 

Although  it  probably  meant  the  death  of  their  fellow- 
servant,  there  was  no  hesitation  in  complying  with  the 
peremptory  request  of  Caius  Attilius  in  that  mood. 

"  Now  my  sword  !  " 

This  was  instantly  thrust  into  his  hand;  he  whipped 
it  out  of  its  scabbard  and  pointed  it  at  the  throat  of 
the  slave. 

"  Answer  me,"  he  said,  "  answer  me  truly.  Thou  hast 
sought  to  force  thy  unwelcome  attentions  upon  this 
poor  maiden?  " 

"  Am  I  to  blame,  lord?  "  said  Zoilus,  striving  for  his 


THE  MAIDEN  IS  LOST  163 

courage,  "  that  I  loved  her?  Who  among  the  slaves 
doth  not?  And  is  not  she  herself  the  best  excuse? 
And " 

"  Had  she  ever  given  thee  any  encouragement,  had 
she  ever  looked  upon  thee  or  given  thee  a  thought,  she 
a  princess  of  the  Iceni  and  thou  a  degenerate  Thra- 
cian?" 

"  Master,"  said  Zoilus  desperately,  "  she  was  but  a 
slave  after  all,  and  I  loved  *her,  and  with  thy  consent 
I  would  have  married  her." 

"  Thou — thou "  cried  Attilius  in  fury. 

"  I  did  not  know,"  went  on  the  Thracian  hurriedly, 
"  that  she  was  reserved  for  thee " 

"  Say  thy  last  prayer  to  the  gods  quickly,  Zoilus," 
said  Attilius,  drawing  back  his  arm. 

Pheidippides  alone  ventured  to  interfere. 

"  If  thou  dost  kill  him  now  thou  shalt  not  learn  what 
hath  become  of  her,  lord,"  he  said. 

"  True,"  said  Attilius,  dropping  the  sword,  putting 
his  hands  to  his  head.  "  A  quick  thrust  with  a  bright 
blade  were  a  soldier's  fate.  Flogging,  crucifixion,  star- 
vation, the  lions  of  the  arena — these  were  more  meet 
for  him." 

"  My  lord,"  said  Zoilus  more  bravely,  "  at  thy  com- 
mand. I  " — he  wetted  his  lips  and  looked  forlornly 
about  the  excited  circle,  and  piteously  glanced  into  the 
face  of  Attilius — "  I  loved  the  maiden  honestly.  It  is 
true  I  heard  she  was  a  princess  of  Britain,  but  I  was 
freeborn  in  Thrace.  I  had  never  spoken  with  her,  her 
mind  was  fixed  on  other  things,  and  although  I  am 
among  the  foremost  of  thy  slaves,  she  never  noticed 


164    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

me.  For  some  reason  she  had  many  errands,  was  often 
abroad  with  Eurotas.  I  heard  Lais  say  that  she  was 
anxious  to  go  out  last  night  upon  some  particular  busi- 
ness which  I  did  not  know.  She  had  permission  of 
Pheidippides." 

"  True,"  answered  the  freedman. 

"  Where  went  she  so  often  ?  " 

"  My  lord,  I  do  not  know.  Old  Eurotas  is  perfectly 
trustworthy  and  they  always  returned  at  a  reason- 
able hour.  I  did  not  question.  For  that  I  am  at 
fault." 

"  Master,"  said  Lais,  "  I  have  seen  British  Gwenna 
make  a  sign  like  this  when  on  occasion  being  abroad 
upon  an  errand  of  mine  own  I  passed  Eurotas  and  the 
maiden  talking  with  people  on  the  street." 

As  she  spoke  Lais'  fingers  traced  an  irregular  outline 
in  the  air. 

"  The  sign  of  the  fish,"  said  Attilius,  recognising  it 

instantly.  "  Could  it  be  that "  He  stopped  and 

left  the  question  unanswered.  "  Proceed  with  thy  story, 
Zoilus." 

"  We  walked  together  down  the  Sacred  Way  and 
turned  into  the  Subura  by  one  of  the  side  streets.  The 
maiden  had  borne  herself  as  if  she  had  been  a  princess 
indeed,  rather  than  a  slave,  and  had  made  me  keep 
in  the  rear.  I  was  offended  in  my  pride  and  my  passion 
was  inflamed.  We  were  alone.  I  was  the  stronger " 

Attilius  stepped  nearer  the  man,  his  fist  clenched. 

"  If  thou  strikest  me,"  cried  the  slave,  "  if  thou 
killest  me,  thou  canst  learn  no  more." 

"  Go  on." 


THE  MAIDEN  IS  LOST  165 

"  I  had  carried  with  me  a  flask  of  thy  best  wine, 
vintage  Opimian." 

"  Thief  also,"  hissed  out  the  tribune. 

Zoilus  nodded  his  head.  He  had  made  up  his  mind 
that  his  only  salvation  lay  in  an  absolute  and  entire 
confession,  and  he  knew  his  chances  were  slender  even 
in  that  case.  No  law  of  man  would  hold  Caius  Attilius 
accountable  for  anything  he  did  to  a  slave  and  there 
were  no  recognised  laws  of  God;  no  gods  at  all,  even, 
in  the  prevalent  Roman  creed  of  that  day. 

"  Between  the  presence  of  the  maiden  and  the  potency 
of  the  wine,  I  lost  my  wits,"  he  admitted  woefully  but 
honestly.  "  I  ran  forward,  caught  her  about  her  waist, 
drew  her  to  me " 

"  Didst  thou  press  her  lips  to  thine  ?  "  asked  Attilius 
in  the  deadly  pause  that  followed  the  incompleted  sen- 
tence, his  voice  low  but  tremulous  with  passion. 

"  I  would  have  done  so,"  the  man  whispered  through 
his  white  lips,  "  I  admit  it,  and  she  herself  and  her 
beauty  are  my  justification,  but  we  were  interrupted." 

"How?     Why?" 

"  Lord,  wilt  thou  spare  me  if  I  tell  thee  all  ?  " 

"  Wretch,"  cried  the  tribune,  "  dost  thou  seek  to 
make  conditions  with  me?  Speak.  I  will  have  thee  torn 
limb  from  limb  but  I  will  have  the  truth.  If  thou 
cravest  an  easy  and  a  speedy  death  conceal  nothing, 
or  by  the  gods " 

"  I  can  tell  little  more,"  said  Zoilus.  "  A  body  of 
men,  cloaked,  tore  us  apart.  One  cried,  *  She  is  meet 
for  thy  betters,'  another,  'Let  us  toss  her  in  the 
blanket,'  and  a  third  shouted,  '  This  for  thee.'  I  re- 


166    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

ceived  a  buffet  which  struck  me  senseless  to  the  pave- 
ment. It  was  about  the  third  hour  of  the  night.  When 
I  came  to  my  senses,  bleeding  and  sick,  the  maiden  was 
gone.  I  realised  what  I  had  done.  I  entered  the  near- 
est wine  shop  and  drank  and  drank  until  I  was  thrust 
out  into  the  street,  and  I  awoke  to  find  myself  here." 

"And  is  this  the  truth?" 

"  By  the  soul  of  my  mother,  it  is." 

"  What  hast  thou  done  to  find  her?  "  said  the  tribune 
suddenly,  turning  to  Pheidippides. 

"  Many  of  thy  slaves  and  thy  clients  and  freedmen 
are  even  now  searching  the  streets.  I  was  minded  to 
go  to  the  city  prefect  and  should  have  done  so  ere 
this  hadst  thou  not  returned." 

"  I  will  appeal  unto  Cassar.  Whoever  hath  hurt  hair 
of  that  maiden  shall  pay  for  it  with  his  life.  No  man 
shall  be  so  high  placed  as  not  to  feel  my  vengeance." 
Attilius  lifted  his  hand  to  the  heavens.  "  By  the  god 
of  the  Legion,  I  swear  it.  And  thou,  Zoilus " 

"  A  messenger,  lord,"  cried  Syfax,  the  porter,  who 
had  stood  nearest  the  vestibule,  "  for  Pheidippides,  the 
freedman  of  the  noble  Attilius." 

"  I  am  here,"  answered  Pheidippides,  turning. 

"  Make  way,"  said  the  porter. 

The  next  instant  a  slender,  dark-eyed,  dark-haired 
youth  of  Hebrew  aspect  entered  the  little  group.  He 
looked  curiously  at  Attilius,  and  instantly,  with  Jewish 
shrewdness,  divined  that  he  was  no  freedman.  He 
turned  accordingly  to  the  grey-bearded,  venerable  Phei- 
dippides. 

"  Hail,  master,"  he  said,  "  this  for  thee." 


THE  MAIDEN  IS  LOST  167 

"  Boy,"  said  Attilius,  catching  him  roughlj  bj  the 
shoulder,  "  dost  thou  bring  tidings  of  Gwenna  bj  any 
happy  chance? " 

"  If  Gwenna,"  said  the  boy,  looking  fearlessly  at 
him,  "  be  the  name  of  the  Christian  maiden  who  sought 
shelter  last  night  with  Paulus  of  Tarsus,  then  I  bring 
tidings." 

"  The  gods  be  praised,"  cried  Attilius.    "  The  letter." 

Unhesitatingly  Pheidippides  handed  it  to  him,  and 
with  nervous  hands  Caius  Attilius  broke  the  seal*. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE   GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE 

"  Paulus,  the  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ  in  Rome,  to  Plici- 
dippides,  Freedman  at  the  house  of  the  Tribune, 
Cawis  Attilius;  Greeting:  Grace  to  thee  and  peace. 
"  Thy  patron,  with  whom  I  was  shipwrecked  on 
Melita,  hath  been  good  enough  to  declare  an  obligation 
to  me.  Last  night  there  came  to  me  at  my  apartment 
in  a  great  insula  on  the  slope  of  the  Viminal  Hill,  in  the 
Subura,  above  the  Vicus  Patricias  and  near  the  gate 
that  leadech  to  the  Pretorian  Camp,  a  certain  Gwenna, 
a  member  of  his  household.  She  had  been  sorely  used 
and  was  in  great  terror.  Therefore  I  detained  the 
maiden  with  me  albeit  she  is  ready  to  give  herself  into 
thy  hands.  I  dare  not  trust  her  in  the  streets  alone, 
I  have  no  one  to  send  with  her  and  I  have  no  liberty 
to  go  abroad  myself.  I,  Paulus,  therefore,  beseech  thee 
that  thou  wilt  come  thyself  and  receive  her  at  my  hands. 
Commend  me  to  the  noble  Attilius  when  he  returneth, 
or  shouldst  thou  write  him.  Farewell." 

"  She  is  there !  "  cried  Attilius,  when  he  had  rapidly 
perused  the  tablets.  "  Read  thou."  He  thrust  them 
into  the  hands  of  Pheidippides.  "  My  armour,"  he 
cried,  while  the  major-domo  was  reading,  "  and  be  quick 
about  it,"  he  added  as  the  slaves  hastened  toward  him. 

168 


THE  GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE     169 

"  My  sword,  too,"  he  continued  as  it  was  belted  about 
his  waist. 

"  Lord,"  said  Pheidippides,  "  I  will  go.  Thou  art 
weary  with  thy  journey  and  would  fain  refresh  thy- 
self." 

"  Nay,"  answered  Attilius,  "  I  myself  will  bring  back 
the  maiden.  Do  thou  choose  some  stout  slaves  to  go 
with  me  and  see  that  they  carry  swords.  There  is 
more  to  this  than  appears.  Meanwhile  thrust  Zoilus 
into  the  darkest  cell  and  watch  him  well.  Where  is  the 
messenger?  " 

"Here,  and  at  thy  service,  lord,"  answered  the  Jew- 
ish boy,  who  had  stepped  aside. 

•"  And  here  are  thy  men,"  said  Pheidippides,  pointing 
to  a  half-score  of  the  stoutest  among  the  slaves  who 
had  hastily  armed  themselves  with  swords  and  shields 
and  put  on  leathern  caps  and  jackets  of  leather  rein- 
forced with  steel  plates. 

"  Well  done,"  answered  the  tribune,  to  continue  to 
call  him  by  his  familiar  title.  "  This  for  thy  faithful 
messengership,  lad,"  he  added  as  he  handed  the  boy  a 
gold  piece.  "  Lead  us  back  to  the  insula  where  Paulus 
dwelleth  by  the  quickest  way.  I  would  that  the  horses 
we  left  at  the  Milvian  Bridge  were  here." 

"  They  would  be  of  but  little  service,  lord,"  said  the 
boy,  "  for  without  them  I  can  guide  you  by  back  ways, 
which  will  enable  us  to  save  much  time  we  should  lose 
had  we  to  take  to  the  broader  streets." 

"  Lead  on,"  said  Attilius.  "  And,  Pheidippides,  do 
thou  give  the  people  a  holiday,  as  many  as  can  be 
spared  to-day,  and  enough  sesterces  to  enable  them  all 


170    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

to  drink  my  health  in  what  they  choose.  But  keep 
Zoilus  in  close  ward.  I  will  see  thee  on  my  return  and 
determine  his  fate  then." 

In  too  long  a  time  indeed  for  his  desires,  although 
the  minutes  that  elapsed  were  but  short,  the  boy,  with 
unerring  instinct,  had  led  the  hurrying  tribune  and 
his  party  through  by-ways  and  alleys  until  they  stopped 
before  an  immense  apartment  house  called  an  insula 
which  stood  halfway  up  the  slope  of  the  Viminal,  over- 
looking the  Subura,  or  lowest  quarter  of  the  town. 
The  valley  space  between  that  hill  and  the  Esquiline  was 
densely  crowded  with  wretched  dwellings.  Back  of  the 
insula,  which  was  the  largest  and  most  prominent  in 
the  neighbourhood,  the  top  of  the  hill  was  covered 
with  beautiful  gardens  and  noble  houses.  From  the 
highest  story  of  the  huge,  lofty  building  one  had  a 
lovely  view  upon  one  side  of  the  patrician  abodes, 
while  upon  the  other  side  the  spectator  overlooked  the 
city  walls,  and  upon  the  third  the  vision  comprehended 
the  crowded  dwellings  of  the  very  humblest  classes. 

This  particular  insula  stood  somewhat  removed  from 
many  others  lower  down  the  hill  and  provided  a  more 
spacious  and  more  comfortable  habitation  than  most 
of  the  other  apartment  houses,  or  tenement  blocks,  with 
which  that  section  of  Rome  abounded.  The  city  was 
much  congested.  Even  in  those  days  landowners  had 
begun  to  build  upward  on  account  of  the  immense 
value  of  the  ground  within  the  walls. 

Arrived  before  the  building,  the  guide  turned  and 
walked  rapidly  down  a  narrow  street  and  around  the 
corner.  In  front  of  them  a  flight  of  steps  led  to  a 


THE  GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE     171 

public  terrace  above  the  second  story,  and  from  this 
another  and  a  private  flight  of  stairs  led  to  the  top 
story — the  sixth — of  the  building.  When  they  had 
surmounted  these  they  found  themselves  on  a  landing 
before  a  small  vestibule.  The  boy  turned  the  door 
upon  its  pivot  without  further  ceremony,  and  indicated 
that  the  tribune  should  enter. 

Without  a  second's  hesitation,  Caius  Attilius,  bid- 
ding his  slaves  wait  for  him  below,  stalked  through 
the  doorway  and  found  himself  in  a  large,  well- 
lighted  room,  something  like  the  atrium  of  smaller 
houses,  although  utterly  devoid  of  any  of  the  usual 
luxuries.  There  were  four  people  in  the  room ;  two  of 
them  were  Hebrews,  one  was  a  Greek,  and  the  other 
was  a  Roman  soldier.  The  silver  mounting  of  his  uni- 
form instantly  apprised  Attilius  that  the  soldier  was 
a  member  of  the  Pretorian  Guard.  As  the  tribune  en- 
tered, the  soldier,  who  had  been  lounging  against  one 
of  the  windows,  turned  his  head,  recognised  a  superior, 
straightened  up,  and  brought  his  hand  to  his  helmet  in 
salute. 

As  he  did  so,  Attilius  was  conscious  of  a  not  un- 
musical clinking  as  of  the  jangling  of  steel.  The 
cause  of  the  unusual  sound  was  not  difficult  to  dis- 
cover. Around  the  left  wrist  of  the  soldier  a  fetter 
of  steel  was  clasped.  From  it  there  ran  from  the  left 
wrist  of  one  of  the  Hebrews,  who  happened  to  be  stand- 
ing, bending  over  a  table,  leaning  upon  it  at  the  time, 
a  thin  steel  chain.  It  was  long  enough  for  a  large 
part  of  it  to  lie  on  the  floor,  and  although  it  was 
fastened  to  a  similar  manacle  over  a  woolen  band  on 


172    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

the  left  wrist  of  the  standing  Hebrew,  it  did  not  inter- 
fere very  greatly  with  his  freedom  of  movement. 

The  low  clink  of  the  steel  and  the  creak  of  the  door 
upon  its  pivot  aroused  the  attention  of  the  man  at 
the  table.  He  looked  up  and  peered  at  the  tribune. 
The  young  man  presented  a  very  different  appearance 
then  from  that  picture  of  him  which  the  mind  of  the 
old  Hebrew  cherished.  For  all  their  striking  brightness, 
the  eyes  of  the  man  were  not  good.  He  blinked  un- 
certainly for  a  moment.  He  stepped  forward  and, 
seeing  better,  recognised  the  newcomer.  Before  he 
could  say  a  word  the  messenger  spoke. 

"  I  bring  thee,  in  answer  to  thy  message,  honoured 
master,  the  noble  Caius  Attilius  himself." 

"  It  is  even  so,"  said  Lucas,  the  Greek.     "  Greeting." 

"  I  recognise  thee  now,"  exclaimed  Paulus,  smiling. 
"  Thou  art  very  welcome.  I  appreciate  the  honour 
done  to  my  poor  abode." 

"  Greeting,  Paulus,  and  thou,  too,  Lucas,"  answered 
Attilius.  "  By  happy  chance,  or  the  will  of  the  gods, 
I  arrived  home  from  Gaul  this  morning.  I  found  my 
slave  Gwenna  gone,  and  as  I  questioned  my  household 
as  to  her  absence  thy  letter  to  Pheidippides  was  put  in 
my  hand." 

"  It  is  indeed  an  opportune  ordering,"  said  Paulus, 
"  that  brought  thee  home." 

"Aye,"  said  Attilius,  "but  the  maiden?" 

Paulus  hesitated  and  looked  meaningly  at  Lucas,  who 
had  drawn  near  to  him  and  whispered  something  in 
his  ear. 

"  Thou  canst  understand  me  now  ?  "  asked  Paulus, 


THE  GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE     173 

turning  to  Attilius  and  addressing  him  this  time'  in 
the  Greek  tongue. 

"  Perfectly,"  answered  Attilius,  who  was,  like  most 
educated  Romans,  a  good  Grecian,  wondering  for  a 
moment  at  the  use  of  that  language. 

The  next  moment  Paulus  explained  it,  for  without 
looking  at  the  pretorian,  he  nevertheless  addressed  a 
quick  remark  in  Greek  to  him.  The  man  gave  no  evi- 
dence whatever  of  having  heard  or  comprehended,  al- 
though so  soon  as  he  had  spoken  Paulus  observed  him 
narrowly. 

"  I  am  a  prisoner,  noble  Attilius,"  he  said  in  Greek, 
in  which  all  the  future  conversation  was  carried  on. 
"  I  have  to  keep  guard  on  the  door  of  my  lips,  and 
there  is  in  this  something  that  concerneth  " — he  hesi- 
tated— "  the  chief  man  of  the  empire,"  he  added  euphe- 
mistically. "  Understandest  thou?  " 

"  I  understand.  Speak,  relieve  my  anxiety.  The 
maiden,  where  is  she?  " 

"  Within  an  inner  chamber." 

"Safe  and  well?" 

"  Perfectly.     What  knowest  thou  of  the  affair?  " 

"  I  know  that  she  went  out  last  night  with  a  certain 
slave  of  mine — for  whom  a  crucifix  shall  be  made  ready 
on  my  return — that  he  became  familiar  with  her,  and 
that  as  he  sought  to  kiss  her  a  certain  mob  interposed 
and  tore  her  from  him,  striking  him  down.  Before  they 
knocked  him  senseless  he  heard  them  propose  to  toss 
her  in  a  blanket.  After  that  I  know  nothing." 

"  Thou  shalt  hear  from  her  own  lips,"  said  Paulus, 
"  what  further  happened  to  her.  Summon  Rebekah 


174          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

and  the  maiden,  my  son,"  he  added  in  Hebrew  to  the 
Jewish  lad. 

"  Instantly  at  thy  will,"  answered  the  boy,  turning 
toward  a  hall  which  gave  entrance  to  the  inner  chambers 
of  the  apartment. 

"Hath  not  thine  appeal  been  heard  yet?"  asked 
Attilius  as  he  waited. 

"  My  case  hath  been  heard  before  the  pretorian 
prefects  by  appointment  of  the  Emperor,  and  they 
have  both  adjudged  me  innocent." 

"But  thou  art  not  free?" 

"  Nero  hath  a  desire  to  hear  me  in  mine  own  defence 
before  he  signeth  the  order  for  my  release." 

"When  shall  that  be?" 

"  I  know  not.  The  Csesar  is  busy  and  troubled  with 
many  things.  A  poor  prisoner  like  myself  must  await 
his  pleasure,"  answered  Paulus,  smiling.  "  We  write 
no  more  this  morning,  my  son,"  he  said  to  the  young 
man  at  the  table.  "  Engross  upon  the  parchments 
what  I  have  already  dictated,  I  will  complete  the  letter 
on  the  morrow." 

The  young  man  at  the  table,  who  had  evidently  been 
writing  at  Paulus'  dictation,  bowed  reverently,  gathered 
up  his  paper,  his  ink-horn  and  pen  of  reed,  and  with- 
drew from  the  room. 

"  I  shall  make  interest  with  the  Emperor,  with  whom 
I  am  in  favour,"  said  Attilius,  "  to  secure  thee  a  speedy 
hearing  and  thy  freedom  from  his  galling  and  most 
irksome  bondage." 

"  For  my  work's  sake,  thou  wilt  do  well,"  replied 
Paulus  gravely,  "  but " 


THE  GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE     175 

At  this  moment  the  hangings  over  one  of  the  door- 
ways were  drawn  apart;  an  aged  woman,  habited  after 
the  manner  of  the  Hebrews,  appeared  within  the  en- 
trance. She  stepped  aside  and  disclosed  to  the  young 
patrician  the  form  and  face  of  Gwenna,  his  slave. 

"  Gwenna !  "  cried  Attilius,  forgetful  of  Paulus  and 
Lucas,  the  pretorian,  and  all  else. 

He  stepped  forward  quickly  with  extended  arms. 

"  Lord !  "  exclaimed  Gwenna,  shrinking  back  against 
the  wall.  "  Is  it  thou,  in  truth,  or  thy  spirit  ?  " 

"  Flesh  and  blood,"  answered  Attilius,  smiling  in 
gladness. 

"  I  thought  thou  wert  far  away.  Paulus  wrote  to 
Pheidippides " 

"  I  came  back  to  Rome  this  morning,  the  gods  be 
praised,  only  to  receive  the  news  that  thou  wert  gone. 
Couldst  thou  have  known  the  shock  it  was  to  me  not 
to  receive  the  welcome  of  thy  blue  eyes  when  I  entered 
my  atrium !  When  I  looked  over  the  assemblage  thou 
wert  not  there." 

"  Chide  me  not,"  said  Gwenna. 

The  colour  came  and  went  in  her  face,  her  bosom 
heaved,  her  heart  throbbed,  her  breast  was  full  of 
strange  emotions,  for  clad  in  his  war  panoply  the 
magnificent  youth  looked  like  one  of  the  young  gods 
which,  in  his  desultory  way,  he  worshipped  perfunc- 
torily, more  as  a  matter  of  habit  than  otherwise. 

"  I  have  no  reproaches  for  thee,"  said  Attilius  gently. 

"  Thou  hast  well  said,"  interposed  Paulus.  "  I  know 
this  maiden ;  she  is  a  woman  for  any  man  to  respect 
and  care  for." 


176    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Hast  thou  converted  her  to  that  God  of  thine  ?  " 

"  Praised  be  the  name  of  Christus,  I  have,"  answered 
Paulus  instantly.  "  I  know  well  that  although  we 
Christians  are  spoken  against  in  Rome,  I  am  safe  in 
confiding  in  thee." 

"  In  thy  turn,  thou  hast  well  said,  wise  Paulus,  for 
I  am  bound  to  thee  and  Lucas  for  my  life.  But  enough 
of  that  at  present.  I  care  not  what  religion  the  maiden 
believeth,  so  she  is  mine." 

"  She  is  still  thy  slave,"  answered  Paulus.  "  She 
hath  learned  to  be  content  in  that  state  of  life  in  which 
it  hath  pleased  God  to  call  her." 

"  And  hast  thou  taught  her  that  ?  " 

"  That  and  more." 

"  I  shall  inquire  further  into  this,"  said  Attilius, 
"  but  now  I  must  know  how  she  came  hither  and  what 
befell  her  in  the  night." 

"Thou  hast  heard?  "  said  Gwenna,  and  it  was  evident 
that  the  lessons  of  Eurotas  had  borne  fruit,  for  she 
spoke  Greek  as  well  as  did  Attilius  himself,  although 
he  did  not  notice  it  at  the  time. 

"  I  have  heard  about  the  wretch,  Zoilus,  from  whom 
a  bitter  penalty  shall  be  exacted." 

"What  penalty,  lord?" 

"  I  shall  give  him  into  thy  hands.  Thou  shalt  say 
the  word.  He  shall  be  flayed  alive,  or  flogged  to  death, 
or  crucified,  but  of  that  presently.  Tell  me  of  thy- 
self." 

"  There  is  but  little  to  tell.  When  Zoilus  put  his 
arm  around  me  and  would  fain  have  kissed  me,  which 
I  resisted " 


THE  GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE     177 

"  Thou  dost  not  care  for  such  as  he  ?  "  asked  Attilius 
anxiously. 

"  I  regard  him  no  more  than  any  of  thine  other  slaves 
who  might  come  to  my  call,"  answered  the  woman 
proudly. 

"  Thou  dost  forget,"  said  Paulus  gently,  "  that  thou, 
thyself,  art  in  bondage,"  whereat  Gwenna,  thus  recalled, 
flushed  painfully,  "  and  even  the  humblest  slave  is  in 
Christ  a  brother  to  us  all,"  continued  the  old  man. 

"  Proceed,  maiden.  And  of  thy  courtesy  interrupt 
her  not,  Paulus,"  said  the  tribune  impatiently.  "  I  am 
consumed  with  anxiety." 

"  As  he  drew  me  to  him  we  were  set  on  by  a  mob  of 
men,  cloaked,  their  faces  hidden.  One  of  them  said  I 
was  meet  for  my  betters,  another  seized  me  and  dragged 
my  cloak  from  me.  I  heard  a  voice  saying  that  I 
should  be  tossed  in  a  blanket." 

"  The  dog ! "  cried  Attilius,  clenching  his  hand.  "  I 
shall  seek  him  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  Rome, 
and  he  and  his  shall  pay  for  this  outrage." 

"  Wait,"  said  the  young  woman.  "  As  I  struggled 
and  screamed,  I  tore  off  the  covering  from  the  face 
of  one  of  them." 

"Wouldst  thou  know  that  face?" 

"  I  am  not  likely  to  forget  it,"  answered  Gwenna, 
shuddering. 

"  Hadst  thou  ever  seen  it  before?  " 

"  Never,  except  upon  a  coin." 

"  Caesar !  "  exclaimed  Attilius.     "  Ye  gods !  " 

"  It  was  he,"  answered  Gwenna.  "  It  was  he  who  had 
me  by  the  arm,  and,  my  master,  I  am  a  brave  woman 


178 

and  no  coward,  but  the  blood  in  my  veins  turned  to 
water." 

"  Beast !  "  cried  Attilius  harshly.  "  No  one  shall  take 
thee  from  me;  no,  not  even  though  he  sitteth  upon  the 
throne." 

"For  a  moment  I  struggled  and  screamed.  Just  as 
I  had  begun  to  despair,  the  street,  which  had  been  de- 
serted, was  suddenly  filled  with  men.  They  were  un- 
armed, but  they  threw  themselves  upon  the  group, 
snatching  me  away,  and,  by  the  suddenness  of  their 
onslaught,  forcing  the  others  back.  Lanterns  were 
carried  by  some  of  my  assailants.  They  were  knocked 
down,  trampled  upon,  and  extinguished.  He  who  held 
me  was  forced  to  release  me.  He  was  sent  reeling  to 
the  pavement  by  some  blow.  The  place  was  in  darkness. 
There  were  soldiers  in  the  background,  but  before  they 
could  come  up  it  was  all  over.  Some  one  caught  me 
by  the  arm,  whispered  words  in  my  ear,  and,  following 
his  guidance,  I  ran.  I  am  young  and  strong  and  fleet 
of  foot.  Before  the  people  who  had  attacked  us  could 
relight  their  lanterns,  summon  their  soldiers,  and  gather 
their  wits,  the  multitude  had  disappeared  as  rapidly  as 
it  .had  assembled.  He  who  caught  me  led  me  here.  I 
was  afraid  to  return  home  that  night,  and  in  the  morn- 
ing I  feared  to  go  back  lest  I  should  be  punished  for 
being  a  runaway.  And  I  was  afraid  to  go  again  into 
the  streets." 

"  Now  by  the  immortal  gods,"  cried  Attilius,  "  the 
man  who  laid  lash  in  punishment  upon  thy  tender  skin 
would  sign  his  death  warrant." 

"  But  thou  wert  not  there,"  answered  Gwenna,  "  and 


THE  GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE     179 

how  could  I  know?  The  honoured  and  beloved  Paulus 
promised  to  plead  with  Pheidippides  that  he  would  hold 
me  without  punishment  for  my  unauthorised  absence 
until  thy  return." 

"  Paulus,"  said  Attilius,  "  it  will  be  two  years  soon 
since  thou  didst  save  my  life,  thou  and  Lucas  yonder. 
And  by  thy  wise  counsel  and  thy  prayers  to  thy  God 
thou  didst  save  the  lives  of  all  upon  the  ship.  That 
was  much.  Thou  shalt  see  that  a  Roman  is  not  un- 
grateful, by  the  gods,  but  when  thou  didst  save  my 
woman  yonder" — What  had  changed  Gwenna  that  no 
such  wild  revolt  rose  in  her  soul  at  these  words  as 
would  have  developed  a  year  or  more  agone  ? — "  thou 
didst  lay  me  under  greater  obligations,  so  great  that  I 
know  not  how  to  discharge  them." 

"  It  was  not  I  that  saved  thy  maiden,"  Paulus  an- 
swered. "  I  did  but  receive  her  here  and  write  the 
letter." 

"  Never  was  missive  more  acceptable  than  that,"  said 
the  tribune.  "  But  tell  me,  Gwenna — all  is  not  clear — 
who  were  these  people  who  rescued  thee,  how  did 
they  come,  and  why  did  they  interest  themselves  in 
thee?" 

"  My  lord,"  began  the  maiden. 

She  hesitated  and  looked  at  Paulus. 

"  Speak  on,"  said  the  old  man. 

"  Doth  my  slave  require  thy  permission  to  answer 
m,e  ? "  flashed  out  Attilius,  his  proud  spirit  quick  to 
take  offence. 

Paulus  smiled  at  him. 

"  How  short  is  thy  memory !  " 


180    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Thy  pardon,"  said  Attilius.     "  Speak  on." 

"  They  were  Christians,  lord,"  said  Gwenna,  "  poor 
people,  slaves,  artisans,  workmen 

"And  art  thou,  too,  a  Christian?" 

"  When  Paulus  thinks  me  worthy  I  shall  be  bap- 
tised." 

"  And  dost  thou  believe  in  this  crucified  God?  " 

"  Yes,  lord,"  answered  the  maiden  simply,  "  I  be- 
lieve." 

"  And  dost  thou,  a  princess  of  the  Iceni,  consort  with 
slaves  and  freedmen  and  workmen?  " 

"  Thou  dost  forget,  lord,  that  I,  too,  am  a  slave." 

"And  mine,"  cried  Attilius. 

"  And  thine,"  answered  Gwenna,  crossing  her  hands 
once  again  over  her  breast. 

"  By  the  gods ! "  exclaimed  the  Roman  exultantly. 
"  I  never  knew  what  that  meant  until  to-day.  I  have- 
been  blind." 

He  stepped  nearer  to  her,  his  eyes  shining,  strangely 
oblivious  to  the  presence  of  Paulus  and  Lucas,  to 
everything  but  that  the  woman  before  him  was  beautiful 
and  his  own.  Men  had  sought  her,  slaves  had  seen  and 
loved  her,  the  Emperor  himself  had  laid  hands  upon 
her,  and  he,  Caius  Attilius,  owned  her !  He  caught  her 
by  the  arm,  drew  her  to  him. 

"  Come  with  me,"  he  said.  "  My  domus  awaiteth  its 
mistress." 

"  Lord,  lord,"  she  whispered,  "  for  Christus5  sake," 
her  face  suddenly  as  white  as  the  under  tunic  whose 
edges  could  be  seen  beneath  the  blue  colour  of  the  outer 
garment  that  she  wore. 


THE  GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE     181 

"  And  what  is  He  to  me  or  thee?  "  cried  Attilius. 
"  Thou  art  mine,  and " 

"  Noble  Attilius,"  said  Paulus,  bravely  stepping  for- 
ward. He  caught  Attilius  with  one  hand,  the  maiden 
with  the  other;  the  chain  clinked  in  the  faces  of  both 
of  them.  With  strength  surprising  in  one  so  old  he 
slowly  forced  them  apart.  "  This  must  not  be." 

"And  speakest  thou  so  to  me?"  cried  Attilius 
furiously.  "  Shall  I  not  do  what  I  like  with  mine 
own?" 

"  I  am  a  man  born  under  the  law,"  said  Paulus  as 
the  tribune,  ashamed  for  the  moment  of  his  outburst, 
relaxed  his  hold  on  the  maiden's  arm,  "  and  I  have  been 
proud  of  my  Roman  citizenship.  I  will  do  nothing  to 
forfeit  it.  This  human  bondage  is  for  so  short  a  while 
that  I  have  therefore  always  bidden  the  slaves  render 
better  service  and  always  to  endure,  for  Christ's  sake, 
their  servitude." 

"  Well,  then,"  began  Attilius. 

"  I  cannot  argue  with  thee,"  said  Paulus.  "  Thou 
hast  the  law  on  thy  side,  but  thou  didst  say  a  moment 
since,  and  swear  it  by  thy  gods,  that  certain  gratitude 
was  due  to  me,  and  to  Lucas  yonder,  for  some  slight 
service  rendered  thee  and  thy  handmaid." 

"  And  so  I  did." 

"  Well,  there  is  a  request  I  would  make  of  thee." 

"  What  wouldst  thou  have?  "  asked  Attilius  as  Paulus 
paused. 

"  That  thou  shouldst  respect  this  maiden,  of  whom 
thou  art  the  master,  as  thy  sister  or  thy  wife." 

Attilius  stared  at  him. 


182    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Thou  askest  much,"  he  began  hoarsely.  "  Take 
money.  A  hundred  thousand  sesterces  I  paid  for  this 
woman.  I  will  buy  her  from  thee  again  for  twice  the 
price." 

"  Thy  money  perish  with  thee,"  said  Paulus  severely. 
"  Thinkest  thou  that  thou  canst  pay  in  money  for  a 
maiden's  honour — and  to  me?  "  His  voice  rose  like 
thunder,  and  the  sonorous  Greek  rolled  from  him  with 
Homeric  force.  "  This  is  thy  gratitude,"  he  cried, 
"  this  is  the  measure  of  dependence  upon  the  word  of 
a  Roman?  Why  do  I  prize  a  citizenship  which  is  ex- 
emplified by : 

"  Peace,"  said  the  abashed  tribune  sternly.  "  Thou 
hast  thy  wish.  The  maiden  shall  be  held  inviolate. 
Thou  hast  my  word.  Know,  O  Hebrew,  that  when  I 
pass  it  I  keep  it  even  to  my  hurt." 

"  And  thou  hast  done  well.  There  is  that  in  this 
woman  which  any  man  might  delight  to  honour." 

"  It  was  a  passing  madness,"  said  Attilius  for  the  sake 
of  his  pride,  forcing  the  pretence  to  his  lips.  He  was 
looking  at  Paulus  and  did  not  see  Gwenna  start  at  the 
phrase.  "  I  have  women  enough  in  my  household  at 
my  command." 

Paulus  shook  his  head. 

"  I  would  have  thee  hold  all  women " 

"  Stop !  "  said  the  tribune.  "  Thy  request  hath  been 
granted.  My  gratitude  covereth  no  more." 

Paulus  bowed  and  turned  away.  He  knew  when  the 
limit  had  been  reached.  It  was,  he  realised,  a  great 
thing  that  he  had  exacted  from  the  tribune.  , 


THE  GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE     183 

"  Come,"  said  the  Roman  to  the  woman. 

But  she  turned  and  shrank  near  to  the  side  of  the 
Hebrew. 

"  Thou  mayest  go  without  hesitation,"  said  the  aged 
Paulus.  "  He  hath  given  his  word,  and  as  I  know  the 
man  he  will  keep  it." 

"  I  thank  thee,  Hebrew,  for  thy  assurance,"  said 
Attilius  proudly.  "  I  am  still  in  thy  debt,  it  seems. 
What  can  I  do  further  for  thee  ?  " 

"  Nothing,"  answered  Paulus,  "  and  yet,  wilt  thou 
hear  a  word  of  counsel  from  me?  " 

"  I  will  hear." 

"  Be  kindly  affectioned  to  all  dependent  upon  thee, 
especially  those  of  thy  household  who  call  thee  master 
and  lord." 

"  Ask  the  slaves  of  my  f  amilia  if  I  am  a  cruel  master 
and  a  hard." 

"  Gentleness  doth  there  abound,  beloved  Paulus,"  an- 
swered Gwenna  quickly.  "Until  last  night  no  hand 
was  lifted  against  me,  no  voice  spoke  harshly,  no  one 
ever  attempted  the  least  familiarity,  save  Zoilus." 

"  And  he  shall  pay ;  oh,  how  he  shall  pay !  "  cried 
Attilius. 

"  What  meanest  thou  to  do  with  him  ? "  asked 
Paulus. 

"  His  fate  is  in  the  maiden's  hands ;  she  shall  choose, 
— crucifixion,  flaying  alive,  or " 

"  Let  him  be  crucified,"  said  Gwenna  fiercely. 

"  My  daughter,"  said  the  Hebrew,  "  is  this  the  result 
of  the  teaching  thou  hast  heard?  " 


184.          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  The  wretch  laid  his  hands  upon  me  and  sought  to 
press  his  lips  to  mine." 

"Thou  must  forgive  him  even  as  God  for  Christ's 
sake  forgave  us." 

"But  I  am  no  follower  of  thy  meek,  forgiving 
Christus,"  interposed  Attilius  quickly. 

"  Did  I  not  hear  thee  say  his  punishment  was  in 
the  maiden's  hands  ?  " 

"  There  are  some  things  which  no  woman  ought  to 
forgive.  I  trust  her  to  fix  his  punishment.  Speak, 
Gwenna." 

"  Hast  thou  never  heard  what  the  Lord  said  to  Peter 
when  he  asked  how  many  times  his  enemies  should  be 
forgiven?"  persisted  Paulus. 

Gwenna  nodded. 

" '  Seventy  times  seven,'  "  she  whispered. 

"  As  thou  seekest  baptism " 

"  Speak,  speak,"  said  Attilius. 

"  For  his  transgressions  the  man  must  be  punished," 
answered  the  maiden  thoughtfully,  "  but  not  unto  death, 
neither  crucifixion  nor  flagellation.  Let  him  no  longer 
be  cellarer.  It  was  drink — the  wine — that  was  the 
undoing  of  him.  Send  him  to  work  in  thy  fields.  I 
will  forgive  him."  She  turned  to  Paulus.  "  Say  I 
not  well?" 

"  Well  indeed,"  answered  the  old  man  approv- 
ingly. 

"  Thou  art  mad,  mad,"  protested  Attilius  angrily, 
resentful  also  that  the  influence  of  Paulus  over  this 
slave  was  greater  than  his  own,  "  but  thou  hast  chosen. 
So  be  it.  Now  we  will  go  home.  Paulus  and  Lucas, 


THE  GRATITUDE  OF  THE  TRIBUNE     185 

farewell.  Should  ye  need  me,  ask  and  ye  shall  re- 
ceive my  assistance." 

"  Farewell,  noble  Attilius,"  said  Lucas. 

"  Farewell,  beloved  young*  man,"  said  Paulus,  lifting 
his  hand  and  making  a  cross  in  the  air.  "  I  have  great 
hopes  for  thee." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  TRIBUNE  DEALS  WITH  TWO  WOMEN 

CAIUS  ATTLLIUS  was  not  at  all  satisfied  with  himself 
or  his  situation.  He  felt,  first  of  all,  that  he  had 
demeaned  himself  unworthily  by  his  passionate  out- 
burst in  the  apartment  of  his  Hebrew  friend,  and  his 
self-respect  was  impaired  accordingly.  Then  he  was 
convinced  that  Paulus  had  taken  advantage  of  the 
obligation  which  the  tribune  had  so  willingly  acknowl- 
edged by  exacting  such  a  return-  for  it.  Naturally  he 
did  not  relish  the  fact  that  he  was  bound  in  any  way 
and  prevented  from  doing  what  he  would  with  his  own. 
The  mere  existence  of  the  prohibition  made  him  the 
more  eager  to  break  it,  but  he  was  a  Roman  and  a  man 
of  honour — his  word  was,  in  truth,  his  bond.  That  he 
could  not  see  how  to  break  it,  that  he  could  see  no 
way  of  discharging  the  obligation  in  some  other  way 
and  leaving  himself  free  to  possess  himself  of  Gwenna, 
maddened  him.  He  was  passionately  in  love  with  her 
already,  although  not  in  the  noblest  way.  But  he  could 
do  nothing  unless  he  could  get  a  release  from  his  obliga- 
tion from  Paulus,  which  he  reluctantly  decided  was 
so  unlikely  as  to  be  impossible.  Every  way  he  saw  an 
impasse.  And  the  thought  of  marrying  her  never 
occurred  to  the  young  patrician.  He  craved  her  ter- 
ribly, yet  he  could  not  have  her.  These  thoughts  put 

186 


him  in  a  worse  humour  than  ever.  He  was  not  used  to 
being  balked  of  his  desire. 

He  stalked  along  wrathfully  and  in  silence.  Gwenna 
followed  equally  silently  to  one  side  and  a  little  back 
of  him  as  became  her  humble  station,  the  slaves  bring- 
ing up  the  rear.  His  growing  ill-humour  was  so  ob- 
vious that  she  did  not  venture  to  interrupt  him  by 
speech.  Indeed,  her  own  feelings  since  the  moment  he 
had  sought  to  clasp  her  in  his  arms  in  that  upper 
chamber  had  been  of  the  most  varied  and  tumultuous 
character.  One  moment  she  longed  to  be  there  again 
on  any  terms,  another  she  raged  against  the  cool,  un- 
questioning proprietorship  with  which  he  had  seized 
her,  the  brutal  frankness  with  which  he  made  clear  his 
ownership  of  her.  How  dared  he !  Why  had  he  not ; 
though 

Generally  her  heart  was  throbbing  wildly  at  being 
with  him  once  more.  She  had  heard  his  praises  sung 
throughout  the  year  by  old  Lais,  his  foster-mother; 
by  Eurotas,  the  private  philosopher  of  the  household; 
by  Pheidippides,  the  freedman  who  supervised  all. 
These  were  all  devoted  to  him.  He  had  made  a  deep 
impression  upon  her.  She  had  spent  long  hours  think- 
ing of  him  as  she  prepared  herself  for  the  position  he 
had  indicated  she  should  occupy.  He  had  never  seemed 
so  splendid  to  her  as  he  had  that  morning.  The  poor 
woman  was  torn  this  way  and  that  by  conflicting  emo- 
tions. She  loved  and  she  hated.  She  admired  and  she 
loathed.  Her  heart  was  free  and  bound. 

She  had  nothing  to  hope  for  save  through  him,  noth- 
ing to  expect  but  of  his  pleasure.  She  was  a  slave. 


188    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

She  had  come  now  to  realise  all  that  was  involved  in 
that  station — the  absoluteness  of  his  command  of  her. 
Such  a  disgrace  as  would  be  involved  in  marrying  her 
she  knew  would  be  beyond  Roman  ideas.  Paulus  had 
safeguarded  her  for  the  moment,  but  for  how  long? 
To  be  his  in  any  way  than  as  wife  was  a  thing  she 
could  not  endure  for  a  moment.  And  yet,  to  be  his  at 
all!  The  barbaric  passion  of  her  wild  race,  but 
half  controlled  by  the  Christian  principles  dimly 
apprehended  as  yet,  ran  riot  in  her  veins  at  the 
thought. 

She  stole  a  look  at  the  black  brow  of  Attilius.  In 
spite  of  herself  the  consciousness  came  to  her  that  she 
had  but  to  lay  her  hand  upon  his  shoulder  and  whisper 
a  word  or  two  to  bring  back  light  and  joy  to  him  who 
had  been  her  protector.  Yet  she  could  not  speak  the 
word  or  give  the  touch.  Perhaps  it  was  the  grave 
figure  of  old  Paulus  that  stood  between  them.  His 
hands  had  forced  them  apart.  A  year  ago  she  might 
have  given  herself  freely,  although  she  had  died  even 
then  rather  than  be  enforced — she  would  have  killed 
herself  before  that — but  now  it  was  different.  What 
she  had  learned  of  the  Nazarene  had  made  her  see  some 
things  differently  when  she  thought  upon  them.  What 
she  might  do  in  some  tempestuous  outburst  of  passion- 
ate abandonment  and  despair  she  could  not  tell. 

It  was  a  very  miserable  maiden  that  walked  along 
the  Via  Sacra  toward  the  Aventine  that  morning,  and 
yet,  miserable  as  she  was,  she  would  not  have  changed 
places  with  any  one,  for  Attilius  was  there  and  she 
loved  him.  And  she  would  not  have  been  a  woman  at 


HE  DEALS  WITH  TWO  WOMEN        189 

all  had  she  not  realised  that  she  stood  for  something 
much  dearer,  that  she  meant  something  much  more 
precious  than  all  the  other  slaves  of  his  household  to  the 
young  soldier  to  whom  she  had  given  her  heart. 

Climbing  the  slopes  of  the  streets  that  wound  up  the 
hill  the  two,  with  their  attendants,  found  the  doorway 
of  Attilius'  house  blocked  by  a  crowd  of  people  sur- 
rounding an  empty  litter  richly  caparisoned,  which  the 
insolent  Nubian  slaves  who  bore  it  had  deposited  upon 
the  pavement  and  then  lolled  lazily  upon  the  handles. 
Attilius  stared  at  it  with  some  annoyance,  his  brow 
blacker  than  ever.  He  was  in  no  mood  for  company. 
He  had  not  got  things  straightened  out  in  his  own 
mind  yet.  What  was  to  be  his  future  relation  to  the 
lovely  woman  walking  by  his  side  was  not  yet  clear, 
and  although  he  was  master  in  every  sense  of  the  word, 
yet  since  he  had  been  constrained  by  Paulus'  demand 
he  could  not  decide  the  question  for  himself;  the  woman 
had  to  be  consulted.  He  was  hot,  tired,  physically  as 
well  as  mentally  and  spiritually.  He  craved  the  luxuri- 
ous bath  upon  which  the  Romans  so  depended.  He 
wanted  those  clean,  fresh  garments  to  which  he  had 
looked  forward.  He  desired  to  be  alone  to  think  these 
things  out  and  then  to  have  her  before  him  to  talk 
things  over. 

And  here  was  a  stranger  awaiting  him  in  the  atrium, 
and  the  visitor,  by  the  look  of  the  gorgeously  decorated 
litter,  was  somebody  of  rank  evidently  who  could  not 
easily  be  put  aside.  How  had  his  arrival  become  known 
so  early?  Why  could  he  not  be  left  alone  until  he 
indicated  his  desire  to  receive  his  friends?  Ignoring 


190          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

the  greeting  of  the  porter  at  the  door  therefore,  and 
giving  no  heed  to  the  explanation  he  began  to  make, 
the  tribune  stalked  into  the  atrium  followed  by  the  rest. 
Only  the  ordinary  attendants  were  there.  The  curtain 
covering  the  passageway  to  the  peristyle  and  garden 
beyond  was  drawn  aside  and  fastened  back.  He  heard 
voices  beyond  the  arch  in  the  garden.  His  visitor  had 
evidently  gone  there. 

Without  deigning  to  speak  to  the  people  in  the 
atrium  he  strode  down  the  passageway  into  the  peristyle 
and  stared  through  the  marble  columns  at  the  fountain 
in  the  lovely  garden  beyond.  Gwenna,  having  received 
no  orders  to  the  contrary,  naturally  accompanied  him. 
The  tribune  in  his  armour  and  the  woman  in  that  tunic 
of  blue,  which  she  always  insisted  upon  wearing  because 
he  had  approved  of  it  when  first  she  put  it  on,  were 
well  matched.  They  might  have  stood  for  Mars  and 
Venus,  for  golden  Gwenna  was  hardly  less  nobly  pro- 
portioned than  Attilius.  The  year  had  ripened, 
rounded,  and  developed  her.  She  had  all  the  freshness 
of  youth,  but  it  was  youth  just  budding  into  complete 
and  perfect  womanhood.  She  carried  herself  not  at 
all  like  a  slave,  which  was  one  reason  why  Attilius  liked 
her. 

The  eyes  that  were  turned  upon  the  young  tribune, 
however,  were  not  especially  prepossessed  with  one  of 
the  pair;  yet  the  woman  in  the  garden,  who  looked  at 
them  across  the  basin  of  the  fountain,  recognised  in  the 
newcomer  charms  that  surpassed  hers  as  much  as  they 
differed  from  them.  The  lady  Lollia  Claudia  was  not 
without  a  certain  undeniable  beauty  of  her  own. 


HE  DEALS  WITH  TWO  WOMEN        191 

Measured  by  Roman  standards  she  was  well-nigh  per- 
fect. Her  eyes  were  dark,  her  hair  glowing  brown,  her 
complexion  warm  olive,  her  features  perfect.  Her  dress 
was  rich,  daring,  even  barbaric  in  its  crimson  colour. 
Jewels  blazed  upon  her  arms,  about  her  neck,  upon  her 
ankles,  at  the  crossed  lacings  of  her  sandals,  and  at  her 
girdle.  Although  she  was  a  head  shorter  than  Gwenna 
she  bore  herself  with  a  more  than  royal  dignity.  Not 
for  nothing  did  the  blood  of  the  Claudii  run  in  her 
veins. 

She  smiled  at  Attilius  as  he  stood  staring,  almost 
bewildered,  at  her.  With  consummate  care  she  had 
taken  her  place  by  the  fountain,  where  she  was  certain 
she  would  look  her  best.  The  awning  had  not  yet  been 
spread,  and  the  bright  morning  sunlight  was  reflected 
from  every  gold  and  silver  tissue,  from  every  gem  that 
she  wore.  That  she  did  not  disdain  or  fear  the  revela- 
tions of  the  Italian  sun  was  proof  of  the  naturalness 
of  her  colour  and  the  genuineness  of  her  beauty. 

"  Greeting  to  the  noble  Attilius,"  she  began  in  an 
exquisitely  trained  and  modulated  voice. 

*'  Greeting  to  the  beautiful  Lollia,"  was  the  answer 
somewhat  grudgingly  given. 

"  Let  me  see,"  said  Lollia,  her  eyes  narrowing  as  she 
looked  at  him.  "  It  is  a  year  and  four  months  since 
we  exchanged  words.  Methinks  that  there  is  something 
lacking  in  my  welcome." 

"  Thou  hast  surprised  me,"  said  Attilius  bluntly. 

"By  my  presence?" 

He  longed  to  say  yes,  but  remnants  of  discretion 
withheld  him. 


192    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  By  thy  beauty,  lady.  Coming  from  the  shadow 
of  the  atrium  to  see  thee  in  the  sunlight  hath  somewhat 
dazzled  my  eyes." 

"  Prettily  said  for  a  soldier,"  returned  Lollia.  "  This 
woman,"  she  looked  insolently  at  Gwenna,  and  the  latter 
returned  stare  for  stare,  "who  is  she?" 

"  She  is  a "  Attilius  hesitated.  "  She  is  of  my 

household,"  he  said  at  last. 

"  A  f  reedwoman  ?  " 

Now  the  situation  was  terrible  for  Gwenna.  It  only 
needed  the  presence  of  Lollia,  whom  she  had  never  seen 
before,  to  enable  her  to  recognise  her  own  feelings  for 
Attilius.  The  British  woman  was  suddenly  conscious 
of  her  slavery  and  of  her  passion  at  the  same  time. 
It  is  to  be  feared  that  she  quite  forgot  to  be  a  Christian 
under  the  circumstances.  At  heart  she  was  every  whit 
as  proud  as  the  daughter  of  the  Claudii. 

"  Well,  why  art  thou  silent  ?  What  is  this  woman 
to  thee?" 

"  She  is  a  slave  whom  I  purchased  the  day  before  I 
left  for  Lusitania." 

"  A  pretty  plaything !  " 

"  I  am  no  man's  plaything ! "  burst  out  Gwenna,  her 
fiery  temper  ablaze. 

"  How  darest  thou  speak  to  me,  woman  ? "  cried 
Lollia. 

"  Silence ! "  thundered  Attilius,  and  whether  he  meant 
his  injunction  for  the  one  woman  or  for  the  other 
was  not  quite  clear. 

"  Go,  slave,"  said  Lollia  insolently,  "  I  would  have 
speech  with  thy  master  alone." 


HE  DEALS  WITH  TWO  WOMEN        193 

"  To  my  own  master  I  stand  or  fall,"  said  Gwenna. 
"  Until  he  bid  me  go,  I  remain." 

"  Wilt  thou  allow  me  to  order  mine  own  household?  " 
said  Attilius,  turning  to  the  patrician.  "  Thou  art  not 
yet  domina  of  this  familia,"  he  continued. 

At  this,  it  must  be  confessed,  cutting  remark,  Lollia 
flushed  painfully. 

"  Way,"  she  said  imperiously,  "  and  let  me  pass. 
Not  now  or  ever  would  I  consider  thy  suit.  I  leave  thee 
to  thy " 

She  flashed  at  Gwenna  as  she  advanced  toward  the 
passageway  a  bitter,  common  word. 

A  maiden  of  less  gentle  spirit  would  have  been  crushed 
by  it.  Not  so  Gwenna.  Forgetful  of  everything  but 
the  outrage  and  insult  she  stepped  forward,  fiercely 
resentful,  but  Lollia,  too,  had  all  the  courage  and  fire 
of  her  race  and  family. 

"  If  thou  dost  lay  the  weight  of  thy  finger  upon  me," 
she  said,  "  I  will  cause  thee  to  be  flogged  to  death,  and 
not  even  thy  lover  can  protect  thee.  I  have  but  to 
whisper  to  the  Emperor " 

And  indeed  she  did  not  underrate  her  influence  with 
Nero,  although  Caius  Attilius  knew  nothing  about  it, 
much  less  the  cause  of  it. 

"  This  is  madness,"  he  cried,  interposing  between  the 
two.  "  Gwenna,  go  thou  instantly  to  Lais.  I  will  send 
for  thee  later  when  I  require  thy  services.  Enough," 
he  said  curtly  as  the  poor  woman  started  to  speak. 

Mastering  her  desires  at  his  behest,  and  it  was  evi- 
dence of  her  feeling  for  him  that  she  could  do  so, 
Gwenna  bowed  low  before  him. 


194    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  I  obey  thee,"  she  said,  and  turned  away  and  swept 
haughtily  down  the  peristyle  toward  the  quarters  of 
the  women  slaves  upon  the  other  side  of  the  garden. 

"  That,"  said  Lollia,  "  was  a  timely  dismissal,  Caius 
Attilius.  Another  word  and  plighted  troth  had  been 
broken  forever  between  us." 

Indeed,  had  Lollia  been  all  that  she  seemed,  what  had 
passed  already  had  sufficed  for  that,  but,  truth  to  tell, 
she  was  anxious  to  marry.  Her  character  and  career 
were  known  to  all  in  Rome  save  to  Attilius,  who  was  a 
stranger;  and  there  was  something  in  the  character  of 
the  man  which  made  it  a  dangerous  thing  even  to  hint 
that  the  woman  whom  he  honoured  with  his  affections 
was  unworthy  of  them.  Lollia  knew  this  as  well  as 
anybody.  She  was  broken  in  fortune  as  well  as  in 
reputation.  Attilius  was  her  last  chance.  He  stood,  as 
it  were,  between  her  and  ruin,  and  she  could  not  lightly 
cast  him  off.  Yet  had  she  consulted  her  inclinations 
in  the  presence  of  what  she  believed,  she  would  have 
struck  him  in  the  face  and  thrown  him  aside.  The 
affront  conveyed  by  the  woman  Gwenna  had  been  almost 
more  than  could  be  borne  by  her  proud  Roman  soul. 
In  one  way  indeed  it  had  intensified  her  determination 
to  marry  Attilius,  for  when  she  was  mistress  of  his 
household  this  blue-eyed,  yellow-haired  British  woman 
would  be  made  to  suffer. 

She  therefore  assumed  a  sweet  meekness.  She  drew 
near  to  Attilius,  laid  her  hand  upon  his  arm,  and  looked 
up  into  his  face.  Her  graceful  head  only  came  to  his 
shoulder.  She  smiled  upon  him  tenderly,  and  when  she 
smiled  she  could  look  very  attractive  indeed. 


HE  DEALS  WITH  TWO  WOMEN        195 

Attilius  had  seen  that  smile  before.  It  had  formerly 
a  great  effect  upon  his  impressionable  nature,  more  im- 
pressionable, perhaps,  because  he  had  been  so  long  with- 
drawn from  such  society  as  Rome  afforded,  but  this  time 
he  was  singularly  unresponsive  to  it.  Time  was  when 
he  would  have  thrilled  at  her  proximity,  at  her  caress- 
ing gesture,  at  her  inviting,  not  to  say  languishing, 
look,  but  these  now  left  him  cold  and  untouched. 

Truth  to  tell,  his  heart  was  hot  within  him.  He  was 
full  of  anger  against  Paulus  and  full  of  desire  for 
Gwenna.  He  had  resented  the  presence  of  Lollia  in 
the  first  instance,  and  the  scene  which  had  just  then 
been  enacted  had  not  diminished  that  resentment.  And 
yet  it  was  not  in  him  to  be  a  boor  in  her  presence. 
Vicious  she  might  be,  but  he  did  not  know  that,  and 
she  was  certainly  graceful  and  charming  whatever  her 
character.  Thought  of  marrying  Gwenna  had  never 
entered  Attilius'  head,  yet  matrimony  was  a  condition 
for  which  he  had  prepared  himself.  He  was  the  last 
of  his  house;  the  perpetuation  of  his  family  was  laid 
upon  him  as  a  duty.  Lollia  Claudia  was  high-born  and 
beautiful  enough — though  not  for  a  moment  to  be 
compared  to  Gwenna  in  his  eyes — her  other  disabilities 
were  not  known  to  him.  He  felt  he  could  scarcely  do 
better.  He  really  imagined  at  that  moment  that,  de- 
prived of  Gwenna,  he  hated  all  women,  that  it  was  more 
or  less  a  matter  of  indifference  so  far  as  affection  went, 
and  therefore  Lollia  would  do  as  well  as  another. 

By  the  code  of  Roman  society,  as  he  very  well  knew, 
Lollia  had  been  treated  abominably ;  that  a  slave  woman 
should  have  dared  to  lift  her  eyes  to  her,  much  less  to 


196    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

address  her  as  an  equal,  was  unheard  of.  The  tribune 
could  not  but  justify  in  his  secret  heart  the  resentment 
of  Gwenna,  yet  he  was  forced  to  condemn  it.  In  a 
mood  akin  to  despair  he  forced  himself  to  smile  upon 
his  fair  companion. 

Really,  thought  the  Roman  woman,  when  he  smiled 
the  rather  grim  sternness  of  his  bearing  was  instantly 
lightened.  She  had  long  since  passed  the  sentimental 
stage  of  life,  but  even  her  battered,  calloused  heart 
experienced  a  slight  thrill  of  admiration  as  she  looked 
up  at  the  tall,  haughty  young  patrician  who  bent 
over  her. 

"  Thou  hast  been  treated  with  gross  disrespect," 
he  said.  "  I  shall  deal  with  that  slave  woman  later,"  he 
added  mendaciously. 

"  Have  her  flogged  for  me,  dear  Caius  Attilius,"  said 
the  woman  softly.  "  I  marvel  what  thou  seest  in  such 
washed-out,  pale-faced  humanity." 

"  Let  us  talk  no  longer  of  her,"  said  the  tribune 
shortly. 

He  did  not  intend  for  one  moment  to  have  Gwenna 
flogged,  and  his  promised  dealing  committed  him  to 
nothing.  For  the  matter  of  that  she  ought  to  be 
punished  for  not  falling  into  his  arms,  for  having  per- 
mitted Paulus  to  interfere,  and  some  of  his  anger  found 
vent  in  these  words. 

"Art  thou  glad  to  return  to  me?"  asked  Lollia, 
coming  closer. 

There  were  slaves  in  the  garden,  but  to  the  Romans 
slaves  counted  no  more  than  blocks  of  wood  or  stone. 
The  obvious  was  expected,  and  Attilius  did  not  dis- 


HE  DEALS  WITH  TWO  WOMEN        197 

appoint  the  woman.  His  arm  went  around  her  waist. 
He  bent  his  head  and  kissed  her.  This  was  compara- 
tively a  new  experience  to  Attilius,  an  old  one  to  Lollia. 
It  was  the  man  who  blushed  and  not  the  woman.  This 
was  not  a  common  woman  in  his  eyes,  and  it  never  oc- 
curred to  Attilius  that  many  others  had  made  free 
with  her  lips  without  rebuke. 

"  And  didst  thou  dream  of  me  in  the  camp  and  in  the 
field  ?  "  she  whispered,  returning  his  caress. 

Attilius  was  an  honourable  man ;  he  was  not  fond  of 
deceit ;  evasion  even,  much  more  plain  lying,  appalled 
him,  but  in  the  circumstances  in  which  he  found  himself 
there  was  no  alternative.  He  lied  like  a  gentleman. 
Lollia  would  have  mocked  at  what  she  would  have  called 
his  squeamishness  if  she  had  known  it.  But  the  tribune 
was  too  new  to  Rome  and  the  court  to  have  learned 
to  be  a  ready  liar.  Truth  to  tell,  he  had  scarcely  given 
Lollia  a  thought,  but  what  was  he  to  say?  He  nodded 
his  head,  and,  taking  advantage  of  her  willingness, 
for  she  made  not  the  slightest  motion  to  release  her- 
self— indeed  she  nestled  closer  to  him — he  kissed  her 
again,  entirely  ignorant  of  the  fact  that,  through  the 
hangings  behind  which  she  had  retired,  poor  Gwenna, 
eavesdropping,  with  no  compunctions  of  conscience  at 
all  under  the  circumstances,  was  a  spectator  to  the 
whole  performance.  What  were  her  feelings  at  the 
sight  it  is  not  difficult  to  imagine.  She  had  hated 
Lollia  before  and  she  hated  her  more,  if  possible,  now. 

"  I  have  done  an  unmaidenly  thing,"  said  Lollia 
at  last  demurely,  drawing  away  from  him  and  drop- 
ping her  eyes,  wishing  at  the  same  time  that  she  could 


198    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

blush  like  her  lover,  "  in  coming  here  to  thy  house. 
Thou  shouldst  have  sought  me  first." 

"  I  have  but  this  morning  returned  from  Gaul,"  said 
Attilius  honestly.  "  It  was  my  fixed  purpose  to  see 
thee  after  midday.  I  knew  thy  delicate  habit  did  not 
admit  of  disturbance  by  callers  before  the  noon  hour." 

"  Yes,"  said  Lollia  gently,  "  that  is  my  practice, 
but  when  my  freedman  learned  from  one  who  was 
present  at  thine  audience  with  Caesar  this  morning  that 
thou  hadst  returned,  and  communicated  the  news  to 
me,  I  was  so  anxious  to  see  thee  that  I  threw  prudence 
and  propriety  to  the  winds.  It  was  unmaidenly.  What 
must  thou  think  of  me?" 

This  was  a  hard  question  to  answer,  for  Attilius  was 
not  thinking  of  Lollia  at  all.  He  had  made  up  his  mind 
to  marry  her  as  she  stood  there,  but  he  wanted  to  get 
away  from  her  now.  He  was  distrait,  preoccupied,  and 
the  woman  who  was  wise  in  her  way  and  experienced 
in  her  dealings  with  men  at  last  detected  it. 

"  Thou  art  weary  from  thy  journey,"  she  said  softly ; 
"  I  will  leave  thee.  Wilt  thou  dine  with  my  father 
to-night?" 

"Gladly,"  said  Attilius,  and  his  desire  to  get  rid  of 
her  lent  emphasis  to  his  tone  so  that  even  she  was 
deceived  by  it. 

"  There  will  be  but  few  guests,"  continued  the  woman, 
"  and  thou  canst  imagine  with  what  anxiety  I  shall  wait 
for  thine  arrival." 

"  An  anxiety  that  cannot  possibly  match  mine  own," 
returned  the  tribune  gallantly. 

"  Wilt  thou  conduct  me  to  my  litter,  then?  "  returned 


HE  DEALS  WITH  TWO  WOMEN        199 

Lollia,  slipping  her  hand  into  his  own,  and  thus  he  led 
her  through  the  garden  and  into  the  passageway — 
whence  the  flying  Gwenna  had  barely  escaped  before 
them — then  through  the  atrium,  seeing  her  at  last  safely 
bestowed  within  the  litter.  He  pressed  a  kiss  upon  her 
hands,  and  left  her  with  promises  of  meeting  in  the 
evening. 

Scarcely  had  her  cortege  turned  the  corner  and  he 
had  ceased  to  be  under  her  observation  than  he  turned 
and  walked  rapidly  into  the  house.  Gwenna  met  him 
in  the  atrium.  Her  fair  face  was  flushed,  her  hands 
were  clenched,  her  blue  eyes  filled  with  indignant  tears. 
Her  foot  tapped  uneasily  upon  the  pavement.  She  was 
beautiful  as  always,  more  beautiful  in  her  indignation, 
perhaps,  than  ordinarily,  but  Attilius  had  no  eyes  for 
her  beauty.  He  had  been  irritated  beyond  measure 
by  the  assumption  which  had  been  forced  upon  him  by 
the  advances  of  Lollia.  The  sight  of  Gwenna  increased 
his  agitation.  He  did  not  intend  to  be  cross-questioned 
by  a  slave.  There  was  no  such  reason  for  dissimulation 
in  this  case  as  had  been  in  the  other.  For  the  first  time 
he  spoke  to  her  harshly. 

"  What  doest  thou  in  the  atrium?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Master ! "  exclaimed  the  woman,  surprised  almost 
out  of  her  resentment,  for  her  slavery  had  sat  but 
lightly  upon  her  shoulders  heretofore. 

"  Get  thee  gone,"  said  Attilius  harshly,  "  into  thy 
quarters  where  thou  belongest.  When  I  have  need  of 
thee  I  shall  send  for  thee." 

But  Gwenna,  unable  to  comprehend  this  strange 
change,  stood  as  if  rooted  to  the  floor. 


200    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

Her  apparent  noncompliance  with  his  wishes  aroused 
Attilius  to  fury.  He  stamped  his  foot  upon  the  pave- 
ment. 

"Dost  thou  hesitate  when  I  command?"  he  cried. 
"  Wouldst  thou  have  the  lash  laid  upon  thy  naked 
shoulders?  Dost  thou  not  hear  me?  Go,  and  be  thank- 
ful that  thou  art  not  whipped  for  thine  insolence  to 
Lollia  Claudia  a  moment  since." 

For  a  second  the  amazed  woman  confronted  him, 
unsubdued  and  unawed,  but  when  he  raised  his  hand  and 
started  toward  her  passionately  she  shot  a  swift  look 
at  him  and  turned  and  fled  before  the  threat  of  physical 
menace  in  his  air  and  bearing.  And  Caius  Attilius  was 
very  sorry,  as  the  hangings  fell  behind  the  blue  tunic, 
that  she  was  gone.  He  was  as  miserable  as  a  wealthy 
young  man  in  good  health,  distinguished  by  the  favour 
of  the  Emperor,  beloved  apparently  by  a  noble  and  high- 
born lady,  and  possessed  of  the  most  beautiful  slave  in 
Rome  could  well  be.  And  she?  In  her  own  cubicle  she 
threw  herself  upon  her  couch  and  sobbed  as  if  her 
heart  were  broken. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE   FORGOTTEN    PROMISE 

CAIUS  ATTIUUS  had  spent  a  very  miserable  morning. 
He  thought  bitterly  of  all  the  disturbing  events  of  the 
day  before ;  the  startling  disappearance  of  Gwenna,  her 
speedy  recovery,  the  sudden  gust  of  passion  which  had 
swept  him  from  his  feet  as  he  sought  to  take  her  in 
his  arms,  the  extraordinary  interference  of  Paulus,  the 
ill-timed  visit  of  Lollia,  his  brutal  treatment  of  Gwenna. 
The  favour  of  Nero,  his  promised  preferment  to  a 
legateship,  and  his  prospective  appointment  to  a  com- 
mand under  Corbulo  made  no  difference  to  him.  His 
meditations  were  shot  through  with  deep  anxiety  cen- 
tring on  Nero  and  the  possible  interest  he  might  take  in 
Gwenna.  How  closely  had  the  drunken  Emperor  and 
his  satellites,  playing  their  mad  pranks  in  the  streets 
of  Rome,  observed  the  maiden?  Would  they  recognise 
her  again?  Had  she  impressed  him  sufficiently  to  cause 
Caesar  to  seek  for  her?  What  should  the  tribune  do 
if  Nero  learned  that  Gwenna  belonged  to  him  and 
made  a  demand  upon  him  for  her?  Paulus  had  exacted 
a  promise  that  he  would  respect  and  protect  her.  Was 
he  to  preserve  her  purity  simply  to  turn  her  over  to 
the  infamous,  bestial,  brutal,  degraded  Csesar  at  his 
command  in  the  end?  Perish  the  thought!  Attilius 
would  kill  her  rather,  and  the  maiden  would  thank  him 
for  the  act  when  she  knew. 

201 


202    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

And  then  the  prospective  dinner  to  which  he  was 
bidden  by  Lollia  for  that  night  did  not  add  to  his 
satisfaction.  Such  a  dinner  under  such  circumstances 
would  almost  amount  to  a  formal  betrothal.  Though 
he  felt  constrained  to  marry  her  because  of  her  evident 
desire  and  because  of  her  fitness,  as  he  believed,  and 
because  he  had  in  a  measure  committed  himself  to  that 
course,  he  was  not  blind  to  the  fact  that  his  heart  cher- 
ished not  one  spark  of  affection  for  the  woman.  He 
had  thought  that  he  loved  her,  but  since  Gwenna  had 
come  into  his  life  he  realised  what  love  truly  was. 

He  had  told  Lollia  that  he  had  often  thought  of  her 
over  the  campfire.  In  truth  she  had  scarcely  ever 
crossed  his  imagination.  But  Gwenna — he  had  dwelt 
upon  her,  dreamed  of  her,  communed  with  his  soul  about 
her,  idealised  her,  of  course.  And  unconsciously  he 
had  grown  to  love  her.  It  was  for  her,  not  Nero,  that 
he  had  made  such  breakneck  speed  through  Italy  on 
his  return  journey.  And  when  he  did  not  find  her  to 
greet  him  as  he  stepped  across  his  threshold  that  fact 
was  the  precipitation  of  his  passion.  He  knew  then 
that  he  loved  her. 

Loving  her  under  ordinary  circumstances,  he  had  but 
to  take  her  as  he,  like  his  kind,  took  anything  he  fan- 
cied; but  now  that  stern  old  Hebrew  had  interfered. 
Well,  Attilius  passionately  resolved  upon  his  course: 
he  would  marry  Lollia  and  take  Gwenna  in  some  way. 
The  one  thing  was  easy,  the  other  hard,  but  he  would 
wrest  from  old  Paulus  release  from  his  proudly  given 
promise  in  one  way  or  another;  meanwhile  he  was  hot, 
uncomfortable,  and  very  tired. 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PROMISE  203 

He  clapped  his  hands  and  bade  some  one  prepare  a 
bath  for  him.  A  bath  then  was  a  luxury,  and  it  was  a 
serious  and  protracted  process  as  indulged  in  by  the 
Romans.  It  was  the  more  agreeable  to  Attilius  because 
he  found  it  a  novelty  since  the  camp  and  the  field  did 
not  provide  facilities  for  enjoying  the  practice.  He 
lingered  long.  It  was  high  noon  before,  vested  in  a 
new  tunic  of  spotless  white,  with  its  broad  senatorial 
stripe,  he  partook  of  his  midday  meal. 

He  had  bid  the  porter  deny  him  that  day  to  all  comers 
on  the  plea  of  desiring  to  recover  from  the  fatigues 
of  his  journey.  His  clients  had  got  wind  of  his  arrival, 
but  they  had  been  received  with  scant  ceremony  by 
Syfax,  who  dismissed  them  curtly  and  bade  them  pre- 
sent themselves  on  the  morrow.  Attilius  dined  alone 
therefore.  He  much  wished  for  the  company  of  old 
Regulus,  but  the  worthy  knight  could  not  possibly  re- 
turn from  Brundisium  before  the  end  of  the  week. 
After  dining  the  tribune  repaired  to  his  library,  threw 
himself  upon  a  couch,  and  bade  some  one  summon  Euro- 
tas  to  read  to  him.  In  answer  to  this  summons  Phei- 
dippides  presented  himself  in  the  library. 

"  Lord,"  he  said,  "  thou  hast  forgot  in  the  happen- 
ings of  the  day  that  Eurotas  is  ill  and  unable  to  leave 
his  bed.  I  did  not  allow  thy  summons  to  be  brought 
to  him.  Knowing  his  loyalty  I  feared  he  would  make 
the  effort  to  attend  upon  thine  order  even  to  his  hurt." 

"  Thou  hast  done  well,"  said  Attilius,  "  although  it 
is  unfortunate  that  Eurotas  is  ill  when  I  need  him 
most." 

"Hast  thou  also  forgot  British  Gwenna,  lord?" 


£04          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"And  what  of  her?"  asked  Attilius,  who  had  by 
no  means  forgot  British  Gwenna  and  who  knew  per- 
fectly well  the  purport  of  Pheidippides'  question. 

"  She  hath  studied  faithfully  with  thy  philosopher, 
and  I  make  no  doubt  could  read  to  thee  acceptably  if 
thou  shouldst  say  the  word." 

"  Send  her  to  me,"  said  the  tribune,  growling,  but 
delighted  beyond  measure  at  the  turn  of  events. 

In  a  few  moments  Gwenna  appeared  before  him,  where 
he  half  reclined  upon  the  couch,  his  hands  clasped  behind 
his  head.  She  stood  erect  after  a  gentle  salutation. 
Attilius  regarded  her  with  all  the  insolence  of  his  race 
and  station,  and  if  there  was  anything  in  the  way  of 
insolence  that  these  things  could  beget  and  which 
even  the  rudest  could  infuse  in  his  look,  Attilius  did  not 
know  what  they  were.  As  usual,  it  was  she  who  broke 
the  silence. 

"  Thou  hast  sent  for  me,  lord,"  she  said,  her  voice 
trembling  a  little  in  spite  of  herself. 

"  Thine  eyes  are  red,"  began  the  tribune  irrelevantly. 
"Hast  thou  wept?" 

"  I  have." 

"  See  that  it  doth  not  occur  again.  I  like  about  me 
smiling  faces,  not  frowning  brows.  Smile  upon  me, 
woman.  Laugh." 

"  How  can  I  smile  when  my  lord  is  wroth  with  his 
slave?" 

"  Is  it  the  old  story  that  thou  repines  t  because  thou 
art  a  slave?  " 

"  No,  but  thine  anger — I  could  better  bear  the  lash, 
with  which  thou  hast  threatened  me,  than " 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PROMISE  205 

"  Enough  of  that,"  said  Attilius  with  a  brutal  manner 
he  did  not  feel.  "  I  have  no  interest  in  thy  feelings, 
but  I  like  not  sadness.  There  is  enough  of  it  abroad 
without  bringing  it  into  my  domus.  Thou  hast  studied 
with  Eurotas?  " 

"  I  have  sought  in  every  way  to  bow  to  thy  will," 
said  the  woman. 

"  Ah,  most  meek  of  women,  I  have  not  observed  it !  " 
mocked  the  Roman  sarcastically.  "  But  let  me  try  thee. 
Take  one  of  the  rolls." 

"Which  one,  lord?" 

"  Any  that  thou  dost  fancy.  Then  sit  thou  here,  by 
my  side,  and  read." 

Poor  heart-bruised  Gwenna  turned  and  walked  un- 
steadily to  the  bookcase,  opened  the, door,  and  selected 
from  one  of  the  many  pigeonholes  a  roll  of  parchment 
whose  ivory  tablet  depending  from  its  carved  staff  in- 
dicated one  of  the  books  of  Homer;  which  book  the 
woman  was  too  nervous  and  excited  to  apprehend.  It 
did  not  matter.  They  were  all  great,  and  she  loved 
the  thunderous  and  sonorous  roll  of  the  majestic  Greek 
of  the  master  poet.  Closing  the  door  she  drew  a  low 
stool  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  couch  and  pre- 
pared to  sit  down. 

"  Nearer,"  said  Attilius,  watching  her  closely. 

She  drew  a  little  nearer. 

"  Closer  still,  where  I  can  touch  thee  if  I  am  so 
minded." 

"  Lord,"  whispered  the  woman,  "  I  am  afraid." 

But  in  obedience  to  an  imperious  gesture  of  the 
tribune  she  drew  the  stool  close  beside  the  couch  and 


206    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

sat  down,  hastily  opened  the  roll,  and  began  to  read. 
She  read  falteringly  and  stumblingly  at  first.  If  she 
had  glanced  up  from  the  manuscript  and  had  seen  the 
mocking  smile  on  the  face  of  Attilius  her  confusion 
would  have  been  complete,  but  she  fixed  her  attention 
steadily  upon  the  manuscript  and  forced  herself  to  do 
better. 

Presently  the  noble  numbers  overcame  her  timidity. 
She  straightened  herself,  lifted  her  head,  and  poured 
forth  in  ringing  tones  the  great  verses,  many  of  which 
she  knew  by  heart.  Attilius  had  found  it  impossible 
to  concentrate  his  mind  upon  the  reading  because  of  his 
interest  in  the  reader  by  his  side,  but  the  splendid 
poetry,  as  interpreted  by  the  maiden,  took  possession 
of  him  also  presently.  He  rose  upon  one  elbow  and  lis- 
tened, his  eyes  gleaming.  She  read  for  a  long  time,  and 
coming  to  the  end  of  the  book  she  stopped  and  looked 
at  him. 

The  hand  of  Attilius  went  out  to  her  and  fell  upon 
her  shoulders.  She  shrank  beneath  his  touch,  but  did 
not  withdraw. 

"  Lord,  lord,"  she  whispered  piteously,  but  Attilius 
did  not  heed. 

"  Closer,  closer,"  he  whispered,  "  thy  lips  to  mine, 
maiden." 

"  Master,"  she  begged  in  fright. 

"Nay,  not  as  master  but  as  lover." 

He  rose  to  a  sitting  position,  his  face  close  to  hers, 
his  arm  about  her  shoulders.  She  threw  her  hands  up 
against  his  breast. 

"  Thy  word,"  she  cried,  "  thy  promise  to  Paulus ! " 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PROMISE  207 

"  As  I  am  a  man,"  answered  Attilius  passionately, 
"  I  cannot  keep  it.  How  dost  thou  expect  me  to  deny 
myself  in  the  face  of  beauty  like  thine?  " 

He  swept  her  to  him  and  in  another  moment  pressed 
his  lips  full  and  fair  upon  her  own.  It  would  be  false 
to  say  that  Gwenna  did  not  thrill  to  the  fervid  pressure 
of  those  masterful  lips,  and  it  would  not  be  without  the 
truth  to  add  that  for  a  moment  she  returned  their  pres- 
sure. But  the  woman  recovered  herself  before  the  man. 
She  thrust  him  from  her  violently  and  sprang  to  her 
feet.  The  neglected  roll  fell  between  them. 

"  Shame  !  "  she  said. 

"  Thou  didst  return  my  kisses,  I  swear,"  cried  At- 
tilius, rising  in  turn. 

"  Shame,  thou  word  breaker." 

"What  meanest  thou?  " 

"  Thou  wert  to  treat  me  as  a  sister,  to  preserve  mine 
honour  and  my  good  name.  Didst  thou  think  that  I  was 
a  Roman  woman  like  that  Lollia  of  thine,  whom  I  saw 
kiss  thee  shamelessly  in  the  garden?  " 

If  Attilius  had  been  wise  in  the  ways  of  women,  this 
would  have  shown  him  her  true  state  of  feelings.  He 
started  to  speak,  but  Gwenna  ran  on: 

"  I  am  alone,  helpless,  thy  slave.  I  have  no  will  but 
thine.  Were  I  not  a  Christian  I  would  kill  myself  rather 
than  submit  to  thee,  and  yet  Paulus  sayeth — but  no, 
God  would  bid  me  choose  death  rather  than  dishonour." 

"  Is  there  dishonour  in  my  kiss,  in  my  love,  for  I 
love  thee,  British  Gwenna,  with  the  red  gold  in  thy 
hair,  with  thy  fair  skin,  thine  eyes  of  blue,  I  love  thee. 
Dost  hear?  I  loved  thee  from  the  moment  I  saw  thee 


208    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

in  the  courtyard  of  Phryx,  the  slave  dealer;  I  loved 
thee  when  I  bought  thee;  I  loved  thee  when  I  talked 
with  thee  in  the  atrium;  I  loved  thee  when  I  bade  thee 
farewell;  that  kiss  of  thine  upon  my  rough  soldier's 
hand  hath  kept  it  sweet  and  clean.  No  other  woman 
hath  been  aught  to  me  since  I  saw  thee.  I  love  thee. 
Dost  understand?  I  loved  thee  in  all  the  weary  hours 
of  the  far  journey.  As  I  rode  along  the  roads  I  sought 
speech  with  no  one  that  I  might  think  of  thee.  At 
night  I  dreamed  of  thee.  For  thy  sake  I  spared  thy 
people  in  that  far-off  isle  of  thine.  I  came  back  to 
discharge  Nero's  command,  but  really  to  take  thee  in 
my  arms.  Dost  know  what  love  is,  what  it  means? 
Canst  thou  not  feel  it,  maiden?  Thou  art  mine,  the 
law  hath  given  thee  to  me.  I  bought  thee,  thou  art 
my  slave,  mine,  praised  be  the  gods,  and  now  this  He- 
brew interfereth.  It  is  he  that  hath  spoilt  thee  with 
that  wretched  religion  that  he  preacheth.  No  god  shall 
take  thee  from  me,  much  less  one  that  is  so  weak  that 
he  can  be  crucified  by  a  Roman,  and  a  base-born  Roman 
at  that.  No,  not  even  Caesar  himself  or  the  whole 
world  shall  have  thee,  for  thou  art  mine  and  I  love  thee. 
Hearest  thou  that?  "  He  came  closer  to  her  and  seized 
her  again.  "  Answerest  thou  nothing?  Dost  thou  not 

love  me?     Speak,  or  by  the  gods " 

"  Caius  Attilius,"  said  the  woman  unsteadily,  her 
bosom  heaving  with  the  violence  of  her  emotions,  for 
every  passionate  word  found  its  echo  in  her  throbbing 
heart,  "  had  I  retained  the  freedom  of  my  youth,  hadst 
thou  met  me  in  lovely  Massilia,  hadst  thou  sought  me 
under  the  mighty  oaks  of  Britain,  I  would  have  loved 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PROMISE  209 

thee.  I  would  have  been  thy  slave  for  love  of  thee,  and 
in  honourable  wedlock  I  would  have  denied  thee  noth- 
ing- 

"  Wedlock,  marriage !  "  exclaimed  Attilius,  starting 
back  in  surprise.  "  Dost  thou  think,  beautiful  bar- 
barian, to  wed  a  Roman  ?  " 

"  Nay,  I  think  nothing,"  said  Gwenna,  but  by  her 
manner  she  showed  how  bitterly  she  was  affronted. 
"What  right  have  I  to  mate  with  thee?  " 

"  None." 

"  What  right  have  I  to  object  to  whatever  thou 
mayst  do  ?  " 

"  None  again ;  thou  speakest  wisely  at  last,  and 

"  But  I  do  object,"  blazed  out  the  woman  in  fierce- 
ness which  matched  his  own  passion.  "  Thou  hast  not 
enslaved  my  soul,  Caius  Attilius,  my  master  and  lord. 
Although  I  am  alone  here  and  in  thy  power,  if  thou 
layest  hands  upon  me  without  my  permission,  I  shall  die 
with  the  first  weapon  that  cometh  to  my  hand." 

"  And  thou  dost  hate  me  so  much  as  that?  "  he  said 
with  reproach. 

"  Hate  thee,  Caius  Attilius !  "  said  Gwenna,  looking 
at  him,  her  mood  changing  with  its  wonted  swiftness. 
She  laid  her  hand  upon  her  heart.  "If  thou  couldst 
know  how  I  have  thought  of  thee,  how  I  have  worked 
for  thee  by  day,  dreamed  of  thee  by  night,  longed  for 
thee  every  hour,  if  thou  couldst  understand  what  is  in 
my  sad  heart,  thou  couldst  not  reproach  me  thus." 

"  And  thou  dost  love  me?" 

"  As  much  as  heaven  itself,  as  I  love  the  freedom  that 
is  denied  me." 


210    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  And  loving  me  thus,"  said  Attilius,  "  thou  wilt  re- 
fuse my  arms,  withdraw  from  my  kisses?" 

"  I  must." 

"  And  wherefore?  " 

"  Because,  were  I  otherwise,  I  should  be  unworthy  of 
thine  affections." 

"Unworthy?" 

"In  everything,"  returned  Gwenna  stubbornly, 
"  save  in  my  slavery,  I  am  a  fit  match  for  thee,  for  any 
Roman.  In  learning?  Who  among  thy  acquaintance 
can  compare  with  me — that  Lollia?  " 

Attilius  shook  his  head. 

"  In  beauty  ?  "  she  flashed  out.  "  What  one  of 
these  sun-browned  Romans  of  thine  can  match  me?  " 
she  threw  her  head  up  and  looked  at  him,  every  inch 
a  princess,  fully  conscious  of  her  beauty  and  charm, 
"—that  Lollia?" 

"  By  the  gods,  no." 

"  In  purity  and  cleanliness  of  soul,  in  freedom  from 
the  brutal  and  frightful  abominations  that  have  made 
this  place  the  most  corrupt  in  the  world — that  Lollia?  " 

"  Thou  hast  that  Lollia  on  thy  brain,"  said  Attilius. 

"And  thou  hast  her  on  thy  heart." 

"  Nay,  not  for  a  moment." 

"  And  could  I  return  to  Britain,  tribes  of  men  would 
come  to  my  call,  broad  acres  are  held  at  my  word, 
riches,  barbaric  if  thou  wilt,  are  mine.  I  should  have 
then  aspired  to  be  thy  wife." 

"  By  the  gods " 

"  There  are  no  gods  of  the  kind  thou  dost  invoke," 
said  Gwenna. 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PROMISE  211 

"What  then?" 

"  There  is  but  one  God  and  Jesus  Christ  is  His  Son." 

"  Aye,  we  Romans  crucified  Him ;  we  must  be  greater 
than  that  God  of  thine." 

"  Thou  shalt  see." 

"And  if  I  take  thee?  " 

"  Thou  canst  ruin  my  body,  but  thou  canst  not  defile 
my  soul,"  answered  the  woman  slowly.  "  The  dagger 
thrust  that  lets  the  life  run  when  thou  hast  worked  thy 
will  upon  me  sends  it  clean  into  the  presence  of  its 
Redeemer." 

"  Thou  hast  spoken  like  a  Roman,  and  yet  I  am 
drunk  with  love  of  thee." 

"  I  appeal,"  said  Gwenna  quickly,  "  from  Attilius 
drunk  to  Attilius  sober ;  I  appeal  from  the  cruel,  pleas- 
ure-loving Roman  to  the  soldier,  to  the  man,  whose 
word  is  even  as  his  bond." 

"  Thou  dost  remind  me  of  my  promise?  " 

"  Nay,  thy  conscience  doth  remind  thee." 

Attilius  turned  away  and  paced  the  narrow  room  with 
nervous  steps. 

"  Let  thy  conscience  plead  for  mine,"  he  said  at  last. 

"  Lord,"  said  Gwenna  gently,  "  let  my  love  second 
my  plea,  for  thou  hast  been  good  to  me,  thou  and  old 
Paulus ;  I  have  but  you  two  to  depend  upon." 

"  Enough,"  said  the  tribune,  having  fought  a  harder 
battle  than  any  he  had  ever  attempted  upon  the  field. 
"  Thou  hast  conquered.  I  am  ashamed  that  I  forgot 
myself,  but  thou  art  temptation  enough  to  excuse  a 
stronger  man  than  I." 

"  There  are  none  stronger,  none  greater,  than  thou," 


THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

said  Gwenna,  coming  nearer  to  him  and  laying  her 
hand  upon  his  arm. 

"  Have  a  care,  maiden,"  said  Attilius  hoarsely, 
"  tempt  me  not  beyond  my  strength  again." 

"  I  trust  thee  absolutely,"  returned  the  woman,  "  I 
trust  thee  as  I  love  thee.  I  ask  nothing  for  myself. 
Marriage,  as  thou  sayest,  is  impossible  between  master 
and  slave,  but  I  will  serve  thee  with  my  life." 

"And  the  lady  Lollia?  Wilt  serve  her  as  well?" 
asked  Attilius  cruelly. 

"  My  lord,"  said  Gwenna  piteously,  "  impose  not 
that  task  upon  me." 

"  Since  thou  wilt  have  none  of  me,  Gwenna,  I  go  to 
her  house  to-night.  The  betrothal  will  be  on  the  mor- 
row and  the  marriage  as  soon  as  she  willeth.  Thou  wilt 
not  find  her  so  kind  a  mistress  as  thou  hast  found  me 
a  master,"  he  went  on  mercilessly. 

"  Let  me  go,"  said  the  poor  woman,  white-lipped  with 
pain,  at  the  idea  and  the  thrust. 

"  Nay,"  said  Attilius,  "  it  is  not  yet  time  for  my 
departure.  Sit  thou  down,  where  thou  wilt;  thou  art 
not  for  me,  yet  read  on." 

"  Yes,  lord,"  whispered  Gwenna. 

She  drew  her  stool  farther  away  from  the  couch, 
upon  which  Attilius  sulkily  threw  himself  again,  and 
reached  gropingly  for  the  roll  of  Homer  on  the  floor. 

"  Not  that,"  said  Attilius,  "  I  have  had  enough  of 
war  and  conflict  for  to-day." 

"What,  then?" 

"  Have  we  no  copy  of  the  poems  of  the  divine  Sappho 
in  the  library  ?  " 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PROMISE  213 

"Yes." 

"  Read  them,"  said  the  Roman. 

It  was  a  long  time  before  Gwenna  could  command 
herself  sufficiently  to  read  the  beautiful  love  verses  in 
the  beautiful  Greek  with  any  effect,  but  the  passion 
therein  was  accentuated  by  the  emotions  in  her  own 
soul  and  she  read  on  and  on  and  on  with  a  breaking 
heart.  Indeed  the  thrill  and  feeling  found  its  echo 
in  her  own  breast  and  in  the  breast  of  the  bitter-hearted, 
disappointed  Roman.  Finally  she  stopped. 

"  I  can  bear  it  no  longer,"  she  whispered,  rising. 
She  threw  the  roll  from  her.  "  Send  me  to  the  lash," 
she  said,  looking  down  upon  him  where  he  lay  smiling 
evilly  at  her.  "  Kill  me  outright,  it  would  be  kinder 
in  the  end." 

Without  another  glance  she  fled  from  the  room,  the 
miserable  Attilius  making  no  effort  whatever  to  detain 
her. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE    TRIBUNE    SEEKS    RELEASE 

THE  banquet  at  the  home  of  the  senator  Publius 
Claudius,  the  father  of  the  fair  and  frail  Lollia,  was 
a  sumptuous  affair,  characterised  by  all  the  luxury, 
extravagance,  and  indecency  of  the  period.  In  any 
other  state  of  mind,  Attilius  might  have  found  in  it 
much  to  condemn,  including  the  conduct  of  the  lady 
herself,  who  exhibited  a  freedom  of  speech  and  bearing 
not  at  all  in  consonance  with  the  rather  strait-laced 
and  perhaps  unsophisticated  ideas  of  the  tribune.  But 
he  was  in  such  a  mood  as  to  pass  over  without  com- 
ment what  he  would  have  resented  bitterly  a  few  days 
before.  Life  did  not  hold  much  that  was  worth  living 
for  him  as  he  viewed  it  then.  Nothing  greatly  mat- 
tered after  all,  he  cynically  and  bitterly  concluded, 
as  he  went  to  his  house  that  night. 

He  more  than  suspected  that  the  society  into  which 
he  would  be  expected  to  marry  was  fairly  enough  repre- 
sented by  Lollia,  the  full  depths  of  whose  moral  turpi- 
tude he  had  not  yet  discovered,  although  he  had  begun 
to  suspect  a  little.  Yet  he  had  to  marry  somebody. 
Gwenna  was  out  of  the  question,  why  not  Lollia?  If 
she  was  no  better  probably  she  was  no  worse  than  the 
rest.  The  decision  brought  him  no  comfort.  Indeed, 
he  was  fairly  maddened  by  it,  and  in  consequence  there- 
fore he  plunged  into  reckless  dissipations;  not  such, 

214 


THE  TRIBUNE  SEEKS  RELEASE       215 

however,  as  had  woman  for  their  object;  but  other 
vicious  pursuits  in  which  he  fancied  or  hoped  he  could 
drown  his  growing  melancholy  and  forget  Gwenna. 

Even  the  worldly-wise  and  experienced  Lollia,  who 
had  imagined  him  unsophisticated  and  innocent  to  a 
degree  unsurpassed  among  the  young  Romans,  con- 
fessed that  she  had  deceived  herself  and  that  Attilius 
was  like  the  rest  after  all.  There  had  been  a  formal 
betrothal  between  the  two  a  few  days  after  the  dinner, 
and  in  this  new  light  in  which  her  lover  showed  him- 
self, and  perhaps  because  she  fancied  that  the  betrothal 
was  binding,  she  allowed  herself  a  freer  rein.  Attilius' 
eyes  were  gradually  opened  to  her  character,  and  just  in 
proportion  as  she  disclosed  herself  in  her  true  colours, 
so  did  British  Gwenna  shine  brightly  in  hers. 

Meanwhile  Attilius  saw  but  little  of  his  slave  and  his 
intercourse  with  her  was  of  the  most  formal  character 
indeed.  He  was  not  often  at  home  and  rarely  required 
her  services  as  a  reader.  When  she  had  put  on  his  toga 
as  he  fared  forth  at  night  or  in  the  afternoon,  her 
duties  were  over  so  far  as  he  was  concerned.  It  was 
but  a  simple  service  which  she  could  perform  for  him, 
but  how  she  loved  it.  It  was  her  one  contact  with  him. 
There  was  no  one  in  Rome  who  could  put  on  a  toga 
better,  or  more  gracefully  drape  its  somewhat  com- 
plicated and  awkward  folds,  than  she.  Her  white  hands 
lingered  caressingly  over  the  vestment,  and  when  At- 
tilius did  not  observe,  her  eyes  lingered  as  caressingly 
upon  his  face  as  her  fingers  upon  the  toga. 

She  was  very  unhappy.  She  had  heard,  of  course,  of 
the  betrothal  to  Lollia,  which  was  a  matter  of  public 


216          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

interest,  and  she  had  learned  a  good  deal  about  the 
mad  dissipation  into  which  Attilius  plunged.  Such 
matters  were  common  property  in  the  household  and 
were  widely  discussed  by  the  slaves  and  freed  people. 
The  tribune  became  a  constant  frequenter  of  the  Circus, 
where  he  laid  enormous  wagers  on  the  chariots  of  the 
faction  which  he  had  elected  to  advocate  in  the  races 
which  took  place.  He  recklessly  staked  thousands  of 
sesterces  upon  the  turn  of  the  die.  Admitted  into  the 
closer  circle  of  Nero's  intimates,  he  participated  in  the 
drunken  orgies  which  distinguished  the  feasts  of  that 
brute  and  monster. 

But  there  was  a  line  which  Attilius  yet  drew  and 
which  no  one  had  succeeded  in  inducing  him  to  pass. 
When  the  feasters  reached  the  point  where  every  de- 
cency was  forgotten,  Attilius  separated  from  them. 
Although  they  mocked  him  and  derided  him  and  some 
wondered  why  he  was  so  squeamish  and  stern,  and  al- 
though in  one  or  two  instances  he  had  almost  forfeited 
the  regard  of  the  Emperor  because  he  had  refused  to 
participate  in  the  ineffable  degradations  of  the  rest,  he 
persisted  in  his  course. 

And  that  he  did  so  showed  his  strength  of  character. 
He  lost  more  money  than  he  could  by  any  possibility 
afford,  and  he  drank  more  wine  than  could  by  any  argu- 
ment be  thought  good  for  him,  but  there  were  other 
things  he  could  not  do  yet.  Memory,  the  ever-present 
image  of  a  woman,  kept  him  so  far  clean — golden 
Gwenna,  not  dark  Lollia.  Yet  he  knew  that  it  was  only 
a  question  of  time  and  he  would  fall  as  low  as  the 
lowest. 


THE  TRIBUNE  SEEKS  RELEASE       217 

Gwenna,  as  she  marked  the  ravages  of  dissipation, 
late  hours,  nervous  exhaustion,  did  not  realise  that  it 
was  thought  of  her  which  restrained  him  from  plumbing 
the  very  bottom  .  of  the  abyss.  The  heart  of  that 
maiden  yearned  toward  him.  Deprived  of  other  con- 
fidant, for  she  regarded  herself  as  immeasurably  above 
the  other  slaves  of  the  household,  she  often  had  recourse 
to  Paulus,  who  had  made  a  deep  impression  upon  her. 
He  received  her  confession  in  kindly  appreciation  and 
sympathy.  The  old  Hebrew  had  not  forgot  the  wife 
of  his  youth,  long  since  dead.  He  could  understand 
and  sympathise  with  love  and  youth  still.  Gwenna  also 
faithfully  recounted  all  that  had  passed  between  At- 
tilius  and  herself,  and  before  Paulus  she  laid  all  that 
she  knew  about  the  devastating  career  into  which  the 
young  man  was  so  recklessly  plunging. 

It  was  cause  of  great  grief  to  Paulus  and  Lucas  that 
Attilius  should  so  demean  himself.  They  had  a  wide 
and  accurate  knowledge,  through  long  observation,  of 
the  enormities  and  wickednesses  into  which  the  rich  and 
vicious  of  Rome  and  the  world  descended,  and  they  had 
hoped  and  prayed  many  times  that  the  clean,  upright, 
splendid  young  soldier  might  be  saved  from  such  a 
course.  It  must  be  that  they  had  prayed  in  vain. 
There  could  be  but  one  end  to  a  career  such  as  Attilius 
had  embarked  upon — the  complete,  total,  and  absolute 
breakdown  of  the  moral  nature  of  the  man.  And  that 
appeared  imminent  indeed.  What  could  be  done? 

Paulus  knew  the  Roman  mind  thoroughly,  he  knew 
the  Roman  pride  and  temper.  He  knew  Gwenna,  too, 
and  her  pride  and  temper  as  well.  She  had  not  spent 


218          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

long  hours  in  converse  with  him  without  revealing  the 
character  of  her  soul.  Both  woman  and  man  were  un- 
yielding. He  had  hoped  by  the  prohibition  which  he 
had  imposed  upon  the  young  tribune  to  make  him 
truly  appreciate  the  pearl  of  price  that  lay  to  his  hand 
in  the  person  of  the  British  maiden.  He  had  hoped 
that,  denied  the  privileges  of  his  rank  and  station, 
he  might  learn  to  love  the  girl  and  perhaps  in  time 
make  her  his  wife.  Such  a  union  between  the  best  of 
Rome  and  the  best  of  the  wild,  free  nation  of  the  far-off 
isle  of  Britain  would  be  ideal  from  any  but  the  conven- 
tional Roman  viewpoint. 

Paulus,  mourning  for  that  wife  of  his  at  rest  in  her 
sepulchre  long  before  he  entered  upon  the  arduous  work 
of  his  stormy  life,  appreciated  what  happiness  might 
come  to  Attilius  and  Gwenna  if  Attilius  could  be  made 
to  see  in  what  direction  his  real,  true  happiness  lay. 
Paulus  finally  concluded  that  what  the  tribune  needed 
was  a  little  misfortune ;  his  way  had  been  too  easy, 
difficulties  had  avoided  him,  he  knew  not  how  to  school 
himself  to  disappointment.  Sometimes  one  rises  higher 
from  a  downfall.  He  little  knew  whaf  was  being  pre- 
pared for  the  Roman. 

One  afternoon  the  door  of  his  apartment  was  thrown 
suddenly  open  and  into  the  room  stalked  the  tribune. 
The  Hebrew's  eyes  lighted  as  he  recognised  him.  He 
went  forward  to  the  length  of  his  chain  with  out- 
stretched hand. 

"  Greeting,"  he  cried  in  Greek  as  usual ;  "  thou  art 
welcome,  indeed." 

But  Attilius  was  in  no  mood  for  courtesy. 


THE  TRIBUNE  SEEKS  RELEASE       219 

"  I  came  to  thee,"  he  began  abruptly,  "  for  the  re- 
lease of  my  word,  for  the  discharge  of  my  promise." 

"And  what  promise?"  asked  Paulus,  who  very  well 
knew  but  wished  his  visitor  to  state  it. 

"  To  hold  inviolate  British  Gwenna.  I  can  no  longer 
keep  it." 

"  And  art  thou  a  Roman  ?  " 

"Yes,  as  thou  knowest,  but  thou  hast  imposed  upon 
me  more  than  flesh  and  blood  could  bear." 

"  I  have  heard,"  said  the  old  man  slowly,  "  that  thou 
hast  forgot  Gwenna  and  all  good  women.  Since  thy 
betrothal  to  the  daughter  of  Claudius,  I  am  told  that 
thou  hast  given  thyself  up  to  the  practices  and  indul- 
gences of  the  imperial  court." 

"  And  thou  hast  been  truly  told,"  admitted  Attilius 
boldly,  "  save  in  one  instance." 

"And  what  is  that?" 

"  I  could  still  look  my  mother  in  her  face  were  she 
alive." 

"  Yes,  but  for  how  long  canst  thou  say  that?  " 

"  For  no  time  at  all,  Paulus,  unless " 

"Unless  what?" 

"Unless  I  have  the  release  for  which  I  ask." 

"And  art  thou  a  man?"  asked  Paulus  contemptu- 
ously, "  that  thou  wilt  damn  thy  soul  unless " 

It  was  Attilius'  turn  to  complete  the  sentence. 

"  Unless  what?  "  he  said  to  Paulus. 

"  Unless  I  consent  to  the  damnation  of  that  of  the 
maiden  ?  " 

"  Why,  she  is  mine,"  cried  Attilius.  "  By  every  law 
of  the  gods  and  man  she  is  mine.  Whatever  happens 


220          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

she  cannot  be  held  responsible.  Knowest  thou  not  the 
relation  between  master  and  slave?  " 

"That  I  know  well,"  said  Paulus,  "for  I  myself 
have  experienced  it." 

"  I  thought  thou  wert  f reeborn  and  a  Roman  citizen." 

"  And  so  I  am,  but  I  am  a  slave  of  my  Lord  and 
Master,"  he  bowed,  "  Jesus  Christ." 

"  The  slave  of  the  Crucified?  " 

"  Even  so." 

"  Thou  speakest  witlessly." 

"  Nay,  I  speak  forth  words  of  truth  and  soberness. 
I  am  a  man,  a  man  with  human  passions,  one  that  hath 
loved  and  lost.  Thinkest  thou  that  I  cannot  understand 
thy  feelings?  Thou  lovest  this  maiden  and  in  that 
thou  doest  well,  for  she  is  meet  for  thine  affection. 
Make  her  thy  wife " 

"  My  wife !  "  laughed  Attilius  scornfully ;  "  thou 
knowest  not  what  thou  dost  propose,  old  man.  The  law 
forbiddeth." 

"  I  have  been  in  bondage  to  the  law  myself,  but  now 
I  know  that  glorious  liberty  wherewith  I  am  made 
free,"  answered  Paulus. 

"What  liberty?" 

"  In  Christ." 

"  How  thou  flingest  thy  cursed  God  into  my  face ! " 

"  Blaspheme  not,  Roman,"  said  Paulus  sternly. 

"Why,  thine  own  race  have  told  me  that  He  was 
cursed  because  He  hung  upon  a  tree." 

"  In  their  blindness  they  ha^ve  said  so,  as  I  did  once 
myself  in  like  case,"  answered  the  Hebrew,  "  but  above 
all  men,  He  is  blessed  and  the  Cause  of  blessings." 


THE  TRIBUNE  SEEKS  RELEASE 

"  I  did  not  come  here,"  said  Attilius  desperately, 
"  to  speak  about  thy  God,  but  about  this  woman.  Thou 
knowest  something  of  my  course.  I  have  plunged  into 
every  dissipation,  I  have  striven  to  feel  the  madness  of 
those  who  stake  fortunes  upon  the  cast  of  the  die,  I 
have  drunk  and  drunk  and  drunk  until  I  was  stupid 
and  senseless.  I  have  stood  on  the  brink  of  the  pit  of 
every  wickedness  and  looked  into  the  gulf.  Unless  thou 
wilt  revoke  my  word,  I  will  plunge  to  the  very  bottom. 
I  can  no  other." 

"  My  son,"  said  Paulus,  "  there  be  philosophers  who 
say  that  we  should  do  evil  that  good  may  come.  I  am 
not  such  a  one.  British  Gwenna  is  a  slave,  I  know  her 
position  in  thine  eyes." 

"  I  love  her,  old  man,  I  love  her  as  I  love  liberty,  the 
light  of  the  sun,"  cried  Attilius ;  "  as  I  love  youth  and 
strength  and  joy." 

"  And  yet  thou  wouldst  drag  her  down  into  the 
abyss." 

"  Would  my  love  do  that?  " 

"  Aye,  unless  it  have  the  blessing  of  God." 

"  That  Crucified  again  !  " 

"  Nay,  any  righteous  god  that  man  may  worship." 

"  Why  Jupiter,  himself,  loved  everywhere." 

"  And  that  is  why,"  said  Paulus  quickly,  "  that  my 
Cnristus  who  loved  everything,  but  not  in  the  way  in 
which  thou  speakest,  shall  some  day  erect  His  cross 
above  the  temple  of  thy  Jupiter  on  yonder  Capitol." 

"  It  may  be,"  answered  Attilius ;  "  and  for  my  part  I 
care  not.  I  want  the  maiden.  Wilt  thou  give  me  back 
my  word  ?  " 


82S          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  No." 

"  And  why  should  I  keep  it  ?  " 

"  Why,  indeed  ?  "  asked  Paulus  sternly.  *'  Time  was 
when  a  Roman  and  a  Roman's  word  were  things  that 
could  not  be  broken.  But  we  have  fallen  upon  evil 
days.  There  is  little  virtue  extant.  Methinks,  in 
Christ  alone  and  in  His  cross  are  salvation  to  be 
found." 

"And  do  ye  Christians  always  keep  your  words?" 

"  There  are  some  of  us  who  but  poorly  follow  the 
teachings  of  the  Master,  I  grant  thee,"  admitted 
Paulus,  "but  He,  at  least,  kept  His  word,  and  we  who 
come  after  can  but  try." 

"  On  thy  head  and  upon  the  maiden's  head  be  it. 
You  have  some  strange  influence  over  her,  she  is  be- 
witched by  this  criminal  God  of  thine.  I  will  keep  my 
word,  at  least  now,  just  to  show  thee  that  I  can  match 
the  followers  of  thy  Christ  in  fidelity,  but  what  I 
shall  become  is  on  thine  own  head." 

"What  meanest  thou?" 

"  I  have  stopped  heretofore  on  the  brink,  now  I  shall 
go  down  into  Avernus,  and  the  fault  is  thine  and  the 
maiden's,  as  I  said." 

"  Roman,"  said  Paulus  fearlessly,  stepping  closer  to 
him  and  straightening  up,  "  I  had  thought  better  of 
thee.  When  men  are  ill  they  expose  their  character. 
I  have  seen  thee  many  times  in  the  cabin  of  the  ship. 
I  heard  how  thou  hadst  borne  thyself  in  many  wars. 
I  saw  how  thou  didst  carry  thyself  in  the  scenes  of 
peril  through  which  we  passed  together.  Thine  eyes 
were  clear,  thy  soul  clean.  I  had  thought  perhaps  the 


THE  TRIBUNE  SEEKS  RELEASE       223 

God  I  serve  had  marked  thee  out  for  some  great  service 
for  Him,  but  now  I  see  that  I  was  mistaken.  I  see  that 
thou  art  but  a  common  coward  after  all." 

"  By  Hercules ! "  exclaimed  Attilius,  infuriated  be- 
yond measure,  "  no  man  hath  ever  thus  accused  me  and 
lived  to  tell  the  tale." 

"  My  time,"  said  Paulus  calmly,  "  is  in  God's  hands." 
He  did  not  shrink  or  falter,  although  the  tribune 
crowded  closer  to  him  with  threatening  mien  and  ges- 
ture.    If  Caius  Attilius  had  been  armed  he  might  have 
struck  the  Hebrew,  he  was  so  furiously  angry. 

"  I  know  not  why  I  should  not  take  thee  in  my  hands 
and  strangle  thee  as  thou  standest  there,"  he  hissed 
out. 

"  So  far  as  I  am  concerned,  thou  canst  work  thy 
pleasure  upon  me.  I  am  in  God's  hands,  and  if  He  ap- 
pointeth  me  to  die  by  thine  in  defence  of  this  woman, 
His  will  be  done.  Dost  thou  hesitate  ? "  said  the 
apostle,  stepping  back  a  little  and  throwing  out  his 
hands.  "  See  I  am  old  and  unarmed,  fettered,  too !  I 
think  not  that  this  soldier  " — he  glanced  toward  the 
pretorian,  who  stared  at  the  two  with  deep  interest,  al- 
though he  could  make  nothing  of  the  Greek  in  which 
they  talked — "  would  interfere.  Strike.  Why  dost 
thou  delay?" 

"  By  the  gods,  I  know  not,"  muttered  Attilius,  "  save 

that  I  am  in  thy  debt,  and " 

"  I  release  thee  from  any  further  obligation." 
"Thou  meanest  my  word  about  the  maiden?" 
"  Nay,  to  that  living  I  hold  thee  and  dead  I  shall 
hold  thee." 


224          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Coward,  slave,  Jew ! "  cried  Attilius,  almost  be- 
side himself. 

"But,"  said  Paulus  calmly,  "is  it  not  true?  Hold 
thee  I  shall  and  whether  I  live  or  die,  if  that  be  so,  to 
what  end  wilt  thou  threaten  or  smite  me?  " 

"What  meanest  thou?" 

"  Thou  layest  thine  evil  life  and  vicious  course  and 
that  which  thou  intendest  to  do  upon  me,  an  old  man, 
who  appealeth  to  thy  manhood,  and  upon  her,  an  inno- 
cent girl,  whose  soul  thou  wouldst  damn  though  thou 
sayest  that  thou  lovest  her." 

"And  is  there  damnation  in  my  love?"  cried  the 
desperate  and  angry  Attilius. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  apostle,  "  unless  thou  takest  the 
maiden  with  the  blessing  of  God  for  thy  wife." 

"  I  spare  thee,"  said  the  Roman,  "  but  we  are  quits. 
Thine  insults  have  absolved  me.  I  am  released  from 
further  obligation  to  thee." 

"  But  not  from  thy  word." 

"  We  shall  see,"  said  Attilius  meaningly.  "  Mean- 
while, farewell.  Thou  hast  blighted  my  happiness,  thou 
hast  crossed  my  purpose,  I  would  fain  not  see  thee 
again." 

"  My  son,"  said  Paulus,  closing  his  eyes,  "  I  some- 
times dream  dreams  and  see  visions.  Thou  goest  hence 
with  thy  heart  hot  and  full  of  anger  and  fell  purpose, 
but  thou  canst  not  do  it.  Thy  fate  and  mine  are  linked 
together.  I  shall  see  thee  again  whatever  thy  desire. 

Meanwhile,  remember  thy  word I  shall  pray  for 

thee.  Farewell." 


THE  TRIBUNE  SEEKS  RELEASE       225 

Without  a  word  Attilius  turned  and  plunged  through 
the  door  as  abruptly  as  he  had  come. 

"  Soldier,"  said  Paulus  in  Latin  to  the  curious  and 
astonished  pretorian,  who  had  watched  all,  not  under- 
standing, "  I  would  fain  worship  my  God  in  private 
for  a  moment.  Suffer  me  thus  far." 

He  turned,  and  followed  by  the  soldier  with  the  chain 
dragging  between  them,  he  stepped  to  one  side  of  the 
apartment  where  a  little  recess  was  curtained  off.  He 
parted  the  curtains,  passed  within,  and  drew  them 
behind  him.  The  soldier  standing  on  guard  outside, 
linked  to  him  still  by  the  long  chain,  could  hear  the 
old.  man  fall  on  his  knees.  Words  in  a  tongue  which 
was  neither  Greek  nor  Latin,  but  which  was,  as  the 
soldier  did  not  know,  the  Aramaic  speech  that  Paulus 
had  learned  at  his  mother's  knees,  broke  from  the  lips 
of  the  old  man  kneeling  there  behind  the  curtain  at 
the  other  end  of  the  chain.  He  prayed  for  the  tribune, 
for  the  maiden,  for  all  the  members  of  the  little  Roman 
church,  for  all  the  churches  in  all  the  world,  for  all 
mankind,  and  for  himself  as  chief  of  sinners. 

Caius  Attilius  hastened  home  through  the  streets  like 
a  man  mad,  bereft  of  reason.  He  passed  into  the 
atrium  and  summoned  Gwenna,  bidding  the  others  leave 
him  alone,  and  made  the  same  appeal  to  the  woman  that 
he  had  made  to  Paulus. 

"  I  am  bound  and  fettered,  hand  and  foot,"  he  said, 
"  delivered  to  the  enemy.  I  go  the  way  of  destruction. 
Not  Nero  himself  shall  be  more  mad  or  more  loathsome 
than  I  if  thou  wilt  not  give  thyself  to  me." 


226    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Lord,"  said  Gwenna,  "  wouldst  thou  have  me  damn 
mine  own  soul  for  thine?  " 

And  a  year  before,  when  she  had  not  heard  of 
Christus,  Gwenna  might  not  have  hesitated,  even  at 
that,  for  love  of  this  man. 

"  Lovest  thou  me?"  cried  Attilius,  catching  her  by 
the  hand. 

"  Master,"  she  returned,  "  I  have  not  held  it  from 
thee.  Thou  knowest  that  I  would  die  for  thee." 

"  And  is  death  preferable  to  my  embrace?  " 

"  A  thousand  times,  so  it  be  unsanctioned  by  God 
and  unblessed  by  man." 

"  Thou  wouldst  not  have  said  this  before  Paulus 
came." 

"  In  truth  I  might  not,  but  now  mine  eyes  have  been 
opened." 

"And  wouldst  thou  see  me  damned  that  thou  might- 
est  save  thine  own  soul?" 

"God  help  me,  what  shall  I  do?"  cried  the  woman. 
"  Last  night,  with  Paulus  standing  by,  while  thou  wert 
with  Nero,  the  waters  of  baptism  were  poured  upon 
me.  I  love  thee,  I  would  do  anything  for  thee,  any- 
thing but  this." 

"  Gwenna !  " 

"  Tempt  me  no  further,"  pleaded  the  girl  pite- 
ously. 

Upon  a  tripod  table  near  by  lay  a  little  steel  stylus 
used  for  writing  letters  upon  wax  tablets.  It  was  a 
trifling  thing  as  a  weapon,  yet  an  arm  like  that  of  At- 
tilius could  easily  drive  it  home  through  the  tender 
flesh  of  Gwenna.  It  stood  close  at  hand.  She  seized 


THE  TRIBUNE  SEEKS  RELEASE       227 

it  and  presented  it  to  the  tribune  with  one  hand  while 
she  tore  open  the  neck  of  her  tunic  with  the  other. 

"  Strike  home,  master,"  she  said,  "  and  I  will  die 
clean,  at  least." 

Attilius  seized  the  weapon  and  threw  it  across  the 
atrium.  He  caught  her  by  the  arm  and  drew  her  close 
to  him. 

"  Gwenna,  golden  Gwenna,"  he  whispered,  "  I  love 
thee.  Thou  hast  the  spirit  of  a  Roman  maiden.  Upon 
what  terms  may  I  have  thee  ?  Wilt  thou  be  my  wife  ?  " 

"Thou  art  mad,"  exclaimed  the  woman,  struggling 
away  from  him,  "  I  am  a  slave.  I  know  the  law.  Thou 
canst  not  marry  me." 

"  Do  thou  and  Paulus  and  that  God  of  thine  and 
the  Roman  law  conspire  against  me  to  drive  me  mad?" 
cried  Attilius,  stepping  closer  to  her  again.,  "  Is  there 
no  way  in  which  thou  canst  be  mine  ?  " 

"  Hereafter." 

"  No,  I  want  thee  now,"  cried  the  Roman.  "  What 
plighted  word  shall  come  between  us  now,  Gwenna,  I 
have " 

What  he  would  have  said  further  she  did  not  know, 
for  at  that  moment  Pheidippides  entered  the  atrium. 
Caius  Attilius  turned  upon  him  like  a  fury. 

"  Did  I  not  say  that  I  would  be  private?  "  he  thun- 
dered. 

"  My  lord,"  said  the  major-domo  quickly,  "  there  is 
one  whose  commands  cannot  be  disregarded  that  sum- 
moneth  thee." 

"Who  is  that?" 

"  A  messenger  from  Caesar." 


228          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"Admit  him,"  said  Attilius  in  bitter  disappointment, 
after  a  moment's  reflection ;  indeed  no  other  course  was 
open  to  him,  to  deny  the  messenger  of  Caesar  was  im- 
possible. 

"  Noble  Attilius,"  said  the  f  reedman  who  brought 
the  Emperor's  message,  "  Caesar  will  dine  with  thee  to- 
night. He  will  bring  with  him  Tigellinus,  prefect  of 
the  pretorians,  and  his  friends,  Petronius,  Senecio,  and 
Pollio.  He  leaveth  to  thee  the  naming  of  thine  other 
guests." 

"  Say  to  the  Caesar,"  said  Attilius,  in  the  face  of  this 
declaration  which  was  in  effect  a  command,  "  that  my 
poor  house  is  at  his  disposal  and  that  such  entertain- 
ment as  I  may  compass  by  the  expenditure  of  all  that 
I  have,  if  necessary,  shall  be  set  before  him." 

"  He  will  be  with  thee  at  the  sixth  hour.     Farewell." 

When  he  was  alone  Attilius  turned  once  more  to 
Gwenna. 

"  The  Emperor  here,"  he  said,  "  and  if  he  should  see 
thee,  we  are  undone.  The  Fates  make  sport  of  me. 
Nay,"  he  added,  as  Gwenna  came  a  step  nearer  him, 
"  approach  not  nearer  unto  me  now.  I  cannot  com- 
mand myself.  To-morrow " 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE    DRUNKEN    GOD    AND    THE    SLAVE 

THE  hastily  improvised  but  not  unworthy  feast  which 
Attilius  had  set  before  his  guests  that  night  was  draw- 
ing to  a  close.  To  say  that  it  had  approached  the 
standard  established  by  Lucullus  would  be  far  from 
the  truth,  and  it  certainly  did  not  approximate  the 
lavish  and  extravagant  arrangements  which  had  made 
Otho  famous  as  a  dinner  giver.  But  everything  had 
been  of  the  very  best  and  if  the  repast  were  somewhat 
modest  from  the  viewpoint  of  the  satiated  appetites  and 
degenerate  desires  of  Nero  and  his  satellites,  there  was, 
nevertheless,  little  to  be  faulted. 

Attilius  in  his  dilemma  had  summoned  the  experienced 
Senecio  to  his  aid  and  had  given  him  carte  blanche  as 
to  the  entertainment  that  followed  the  meal.  It  was 
well  that  he  did  so,  for  his  own  lack  of  knowledge  would 
have  served  him  badly.  As  it  was,  Nero  was  quite 
pleased  and  so  expressed  himself  stammeringly  between 
drunken  hiccoughs. 

The  best  wine  that  the  knowledge  and  taste  of 
Senecio  could  select  and  the  money  of  Attilius  procure 
was  poured  out  unstintedly.  Everybody  had  drunk  too 
much,  most  of  them  much  too  much.  The  conversation 
had  at  first  been  pitched  on  a  high  and  artificial  level 
of  vapid  philosophy  and  pseudo  culture,  but  as  the 
wine  went  in  the  wit  went  out,  and  the  table  talk  had 

229 


230    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

presently  degenerated  into  a  vulgarity  unspeakable, 
even  unimaginable,  other  than  by  Caesar  and  his  friends. 

In  such  conversation  the  debased  Tigellinus  naturally 
took  a  leading  part,  while  the  more  refined  Petronius 
became  more  and  more  silent.  Indeed,  he  and  Attilius 
and  old  Regulus,  who  had  returned  unexpectedly  from 
Brundisium  that  afternoon  and  had  been  included  in 
the  guests,  although  the  humblest  of  them,  were  mainly 
silent.  The  silence  of  the  rough  soldier  did  not  attract 
much  attention.  Also  Nero  was  used  to  the  peculiari- 
ties of  Petronius,  of  whose  caustic  wit  he  stood  in  not 
a  little  awe,  and  Attilius  escaped  more  particular  no- 
tice, because,  as  host,  he  was  busy  pressing  his  enter- 
tainment upon  his  guests. 

At  one  time  during  the  feast  a  mad  desire  seized 
upon  the  tribune  to  drink  with  the  rest,  but  he  checked 
it,  not  because  of  any  scruples,  but  for  Gwenna's  sake. 
He  had  an  uneasy  premonition  that  she  might  be  in 
danger  before  the  night  was  over.  He  resolved  to  keep 
his  head  clear  for  any  emergency  in  which  she  might  be 
involved.  As  it  was,  the  room  in  which  they  dined  was 
alive  with  her  presence.  Attilius  had  not  before  given 
such  a  feast  as  this,  and  he  could  not  but  contrast  in 
his  mind  the  shamelessness  of  the  scene  for  which  he 
was  in  some  degree  responsible  with  the  stainless  purity 
of  the  maiden.  Why  could  not  Gwenna  have  been 
Lollia  and  Lollia,  Gwenna?  In  that  case  Lollia  could 
have  served  him  forever  without  awakening  a  desire 
or  creating  a  thrill  in  his  heart.  And  if  Gwenna  had 
only  been  a  Roman  of  long  descent,  how  gladly  would 
he  have  married  her.  Indeed  as  he  reclined  on  the 


THE  DRUNKEN  GOD  AND  THE  SLAVE     231 

couch  in  his  place  as  host  before  the  table  placed  upon 
a  dais,  looking  with  veiled  contempt  at  what  would 
popularly  be  described  as  the  best  society  that  Rome 
could  present,  he  was  almost  in  a  mind  to  fling  pride, 
family,  future  preferment,  everything,  to  the  winds 
and  make  the  maiden  his  in  the  only  way  in  which  he 
could — by  marrying  her  as  he  had  madly  proposed  to 
her  that  very  day. 

Why  not?  What  had  he  to  hope  for  or  desire  with- 
out her?  He  saw  himself  descending  to  the  wallowing 
level  of  the  imperial  swine  before  him.  He  could  not 
afford  to  show  a  gloomy  brow  at  his  own  feast,  but  the 
chaplet  of  roses  he  wore  on  his  dark  hair  comported 
ill  indeed  with  his  desperate,  tempestuous  heart  and 
with  the  gaiety  he  forced  himself  to  assume. 

He  gazed  upon  Nero  with  loathing  in  his  soul.  He 
hated  himself  for  being  the  subject  of  such  a  ruler.  If 
the  legionaries  on  the  far-flung  frontiers,  if  the  soldiers 
of  Otho,  or  Julius  Vindex,  or  Suetonius  Paullus,  could 
see  this  horribly  incestuous  monster  who  had  murdered 
his  mother  and  wife,  and  who  let  the  best  Roman  blood 
flow  like  water,  they  would  turn  their  energies  from  the 
protection  of  these  frontiers  to  the  supplanting  of  this 
vile  beast  by  some  one  more  worthy  to  bear  the  name 
of  Caesar,  and  better  able  to  rule  the  world. 

And  so  the  hours  sped  until,  after  the  last  juggler, 
the  last  poseur,  the  last  indecent  Gaditanian  dancer, 
engaged  by  Senecio  for  the  revel,  had  disappeared  and 
the  guests  had  eaten  and  drunk  until  they  could  no 
more,  Nero  gave  the  signal  for  breaking  up  of  the  feast. 
He  got  to  his  feet  from  his  couch  with  great  difficulty, 


THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

assisted  grotesquely  by  Tigellinus  and  Senecio,  scarcely 
less  drunk  than  he.  As  Attilius  looked  at  his  flushed 
face,  gorged  with  blood,  the  chaplet  awry  on  his  red- 
bronze  head,  his  unsteady  gait,  his  filmy  eyes,  his  thick 
voice,  he  thought  of  the  divinity  that  was  claimed  for 
this  beast  and  laughed  mockingly  in  his  soul  that  there 
should  be  any  god  anywhere. 

*'  B-by  my  divinity —  '  hiccoughed  the  stuttering 
Nero,  "  a — a  noble  f-fe-feast,  not  but  that — thou  hast 
somewhat  to — to  learn, — Attilius,  b-but  for  a  stranger 
and  a  newcomer — and — for  the  f-first  time,  thou  hast 
done  well  and — C-C-Csesar  is  p-pleased  with  thee.  To- 
morrow, or  the  next  day — T-Tigellinus  shall  show  thee 
— what  is  lacking  in  thy  entertainment.  Ye  are  all 
bidden  to  dine  with  me  and  so — farewell.  B-bring — me 
m-my  toga — --slaves." 

The  slaves  who,  during  the  long  hours,  had  stood 
in  the  background  in  dreary  attendance  upon  their  sev- 
eral masters,  hastened  forward  to  supply  the  guests 
with  their  outer  garments.  As  they  sought  to  cover 
the  loose  effeminate  silken  synthesis  of  purple  which 
Nero  wore  with  his  white  toga  a  thought  struck  him 

"  I — h-have — heard,"  stuttered  the  Emperor,  turn- 
ing around  and  leaning  drunkenly  upon  the  table  and 
staring  with  wagging  head  and  shaking  hand  at  At- 
tilius, "  I  h-have  heard "  He  stopped  as  if  to 

think  it  over.  "  Yes — it  was  L-Lollia — told  me  wh-when 
last  I — I  h-held — her  in  these  arms " 

Attilius  started  forward  in  furious  indignation  at 
this  foul  statement,  but  Regulus  caught  him  by  the 
arm  and  Nero,  too  drunk  and  too  absorbed  in  the  effort 


THE  DRUNKEN  GOD  AND  THE  SLAVE     233 

to  fix  his  attention  upon  what  he  was  saying,  did  not 
notice  him. 

"  L-Lollia,  a  p-pretty — p-piece  of  damaged — b-bag- 
gage,"  hiccoughed  the  Emperor,  "  still — she  will — make 
thee — a  n-noble  wife — and — I  will  m-make — thy  future 
and  hers  my  b-business.  Where  was  I? — Back,  ye 
slaves,"  cried  the  Emperor,  throwing  out  his  hand 
wildly  and  catching  one  of  the  attendants  a  blow  upon 
the  cheek,  "  I  will  be  served — by  thy — g-girl.  It  was 
L-Lollia — yes — L-Lollia  that  told  me  thou  hadst  a 
r-rare  slave — as  v-v-vestiplica.  Bring  her  out  and  let 
me  see  how  she  can  cloak  a  C-Caesar." 

"  It  is  late,"  said  Attilius  rashly,  his  heart  growing 
cold  at  the  thought  of  what  might  occur  if  Nero  pur- 
sued his  design ;  "  the  women  are  long  since  asleep.  If 
Nero  will  allow  me,  I  myself " 

"  Thou  th-thick-headed,  s-stiff -fingered — s-soldier," 
stammered  Nero  contemptuously,  "  what — dost  thou 
know  about  d-draping — a  toga?  It  is  ne-never  late 
when  Caesar — commands.  I  have — h-heard — th-there 
was  a  Jew  once  who  commanded — th-the  sun  to  stand 
st-still  and  it  obeyed  him.  Is — the  Jew  greater  than 
I?  Answer  me  that,  T-Tigellinus ?  " 

"  There  is  no  one  greater  than  thou,  divinity,"  an- 
swered the  prefect  promptly. 

"  T-true,  and  I  say  it  is  m-morning.  What  sayest — 
thou,  P-Petronius?" 

"  It  is  always  morning  when  the  sun  arises,"  an- 
swered Petronius  gravely. 

"  W-what  dost  thou  mean?  " 

"  Thou  art  on  thy  feet,  divinity." 


234          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  T-that  is  well — said ;  T-Tigellinus,  m-make  a  n-note 
of  that.  Some  day — p-perhaps — thou  shalt  rival  the 
arbiter  in  w-wit." 

"  As  I  already  surpass  him  in  devotion  to  you, 
divinity,"  said  Tigellinus  quickly. 

He  was  very  drunk  himself,  but  none  the  less  per- 
sistent. 

"  T-that,  t-too,  is  well  said,"  commented  Nero  with 
drunken  gravity ;  "  but  where  was  I  ?  " 

"  Attilius,  our  host,"  said  Pallas,  the  rich  freedman 
and  minister  of  state,  who  had  made  one  of  the  com- 
pany, "  sees  now  that  it  is  indeed  day  and  will  produce 
the  maiden." 

He  spoke  with  emphasis,  for  he  rather  liked  Attilius, 
and  he  realised  that  if  Nero  were  thwarted  in  his  desires 
the  consequences  might  be  worse  than  if  they  were 
granted.  Attilius  had  no  choice.  He  either  had  to 
break  into  open  rebellion  against  Csesar  then  and 
there  or  he  had  to  summon  Gwenna  and  trust  to  the 
issue. 

"  The  will  of  Cassar  must  be  obeyed,"  he  said,  and 
he  could  not  keep  the  bitterness  out  of  his  voice — and 
again  fortunately  Nero's  wit  was  too  clouded  with  wine 
to  take  notice,  although  both  Petronius  and  Regulus 
observed  it  and  even  to  the  mind  of  Senecio  the  idea 
came.  "  Bid  British  Gwenna  to  come  hither,"  said 
Attilius  to  one  of  his  slaves,  "  to  vest  the  Emperor." 

"  And  b-bid — her  m-make  haste,"  said  Nero ;  "  the 
Emperor  liketh  not  to  be  k-kept  waiting — even  for  a 
woman  as  b-beautiful  as  rumour  hath  it  this  slave  is. 
At-Attilius,  thou  shouldest  have  kept  thy  p-people 


THE  DRUNKEN  GOD  AND  THE  SLAVE     235 

awake  when  t-thine  Emperor  is  here.  T-time  enough 
for  them  to  s-sleep — when  he  is  gone." 

The  toilet  of  a  slave  girl  in  those  days  was  not  elab- 
orate, and  the  messenger  had  enjoined  haste  upon  the 
British  woman,  so  that  in  no  short  time  she  entered  the 
room.  If  there  had  been  any  way  on  earth  for  her 
to  have  refused  obedience  she  would  have  done  so.  In 
the  first  place  she  was  afraid  to  submit  herself  to  the 
inspection  of  Nero.  He  might  recognise  her  as  the 
woman  who  had  escaped  from  his  clutches  in  the  street 
some  weeks  ago.  But  another,  a  better,  reason  would 
have  restrained  her.  No  woman  touched  Nero  without 
contamination,  and  it  was  not  to  submit  to  this  horror 
that  Gwenna  had  resisted  the  pleadings  of  Attilius. 

She  had  heard  of  Roman  feasts  and  knew  in  what 
condition  the  guests  left  them  when  they  broke  up.  She 
had  an  idea  of  what  she  might  expect,  and  as  she  loved 
Attilius  and  fancied  that  he  might  be  in  the  same  state 
as  his  guests,  a  desire  not  to  see  him  so  degraded  would 
also  have  operated  to  keep  her  away.  But  there  was 
no  help  for  it.  She  was  commanded  by  her  master  at 
the  summons  of  his,  and  so  she  came.  She  could  do  no 
other. 

She  stood  in  the  doorway  backed  by  the  curtain,  in 
her  tunic  of  soft  blue  with  her  sandals  strapped  upon 
her  white  feet.  Her  face  was  rosy  from  sleep,  her  eyes 
indeed  were  heavy  still,  but  what  she  saw  opened  them 
immediately  and  widely.  Nero  still  stood  supported 
by  Tigellinus  and  Senecio  and  the  table.  The  rest  stood 
or  sat  or  lay,  in  accordance  with  their  various  degrees 
of  helplessness.  They  were  all  drunk  except  Regulus, 


236          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

whose  seasoned  head  could  survive  longer  and  deeper 
potations  than  any  man  in  the  army,  and  Petronius  and 
Attilius. 

Her  first  glance  was  for  her  master.  He  was  frown- 
ing deeply,  and  yet  there  was  an  air  of  great  anxiety 
about  him.  He  shot  an  almost  beseeching  look  at 
Gwenna,  which  she  found  herself  returning  in  kind,  and 
yet  there  was  a  thrill  of  pride  which  pervaded  her  being 
as  she  realised  that  he  at  least  was  sober  and  master 
of  himself.  It  gave  her  reassurance,  some  comfort.  Her 
mute  appeal  for  protection  was  instantly  answered,  for 
Attilius  nodded,  imperceptibly  to  all  but  to  her,  as  if 
to  say  that  he  would  take  care  of  her  in  any  event. 

The  dancers  had  gone.  British  Gwenna  was  the  only 
woman  in  the  large  room.  To  be  a  woman  in  such  an 
assemblage  would  be  almost  sufficient  to  damn  the  repu- 
tation of  a  woman  otherwise  as  far  above  suspicion  as 
the  first  Caesar  would  have  had  his  wife,  but  a  slave 
had  no  reputation  anyway  and  no  one  needed  to  con- 
sider that  phase  of  the  situation. 

"  W-well,"  said  Nero,  blinking  around  in  his  short- 
sighted way,  "where  is  t-this  p-paragon  of  thine? 
D-do  I  have  to  w-wait  forever?  " 

"  She  is  here,"  said  Attilius  harshly,  "  to  do  thy 
bidding."  He  turned  to  Gwenna.  "  Woman,"  he  said, 
and  although  his  voice  rang  stern  the  maiden  knew 
that  the  sternness  was  not  for  her,  "  the  Emperor  hath 
heard  of  thy  skill  as  my  vestiplica.  Do  thou  drape  his 
toga  about  him  at  his  command," 

Although  she  would  rather  have  dabbled  in  pitch 
and  played  with  fire,  Gwenna  stepped  rapidly  down  the 


THE  DRUNKEN  GOD  AND  THE  SLAVE     237 

room,  received  the  toga  from  the  hands  of  Nero's  slaves, 
mounted  the  steps  to  the  dais,  and  without  a  word 
carefully  threw  it  about  him,  drew  it  over  his  shoulder, 
and  arranged  it  in  accordance  with  her  skill  and  taste. 
Her  heart  throbbed  terrifically  the  while  her  bosom 
rose  and  fell  wildly,  but  she  clenched  her  teeth  and 
held  herself  together  as  she  busied  herself  with  the 
hateful  task. 

Nero  stood  quietly  and  stupidly  while  she  did  it. 
Then  with  a  little  bow,  having  completed  her  duty,  she 
made  to  withdraw.  Attilius  breathed  a  long  sigh  of 
relief  that  the  ordeal  was  over  and  that  nothing  had 
as  yet  happened.  He  counted  without  his  guest,  how- 
ever, for  Nero  suddenly  straightened  himself  up  and 
peered  into  the  face  of  the  woman. 

"  S-stop,"  he  said,  staring  at  her  and  fumbling  for 
his  emerald,  which  Tigellinus  finally  put  into  his  hand. 
He  raised  it  to  his  eye,  bent  his  head,  and  gazed  at  her. 
"Where  have  I  seen  t-thee  before?  Answer  me, — 
g-girl,"  he  bellowed  as  Gwenna  stared  fascinated  and 
in  terror  at  him.  "  D-doth  no  one  know  ?  " 

The  hand  of  Caius  Attilius  fumbled  where  his  sword 
usually  hung  when  he  was  in  armour.  Regulus  caught 
that  hand  and  dragged  it  down.  Tigellinus,  black  fiend 
that  he  was,  standing  close  by  Nero,  and  indeed  sup- 
porting him,  whispered  something  into  the  Emperor's 
ear. 

"Aye,  s-so  it  was — we  were  g-going  to  t-toss  thee — 
in  a  blanket,  b-but  some  one  struck  me — the  1-lights 
went  out,  and  when  we  were  rescued,  thou  wert  g-gone. 
—Am  I  not  right,  T-Tigellinus  ?  " 


238          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  The  Emperor  is  always  right,"  said  Tigellinus. 

"  There  is  more  wit  and  wisdom,"  interposed  Pe- 
tronius,  "  in  a  drunken  Emperor  than  in  a  sober  philos- 
opher." 

"  Thou — art  s-sober,  thyself,  P-Petronius,"  said 
Nero  suspiciously. 

"  And  that  is  what  enableth  me  to  make  the  com- 
parison, divinity,"  answered  the  courtier  smoothly,  so 
smoothly  indeed  that  the  sarcasm  of  his  words  passed 
unnoticed  and  Nero  seized  upon  his  subtle  statement  as 
a  great  compliment. 

"Dost  thou  hear,  T-Tigellinus ?  T-take  notice- 
some  day  we  may  be  without  the  p-presence  of  our  dear 
— friend  P-Petronius,  and  thou  wilt  have  to  take  his 
p-place." 

"  In  devotion  to  Caesar " 

"  Yes,  I  know  all  about  that,"  interrupted  Nero, 
"but — but  wh-where  was  I?  Oh,  this  m-maiden — I 
was  going  to  have  a  k-kiss  from  her.  I  will  b-buy  her 
from  thee  now,  Attilius,  and— at  thine  own  p-price." 

"  My  lord,"  said  Attilius,  gritting  his  teeth  and 
speaking  through  them,  "  the  maiden  is  not  for  sale." 

"  F-five  hundred  thousand  ses-sesterces,"  said  Nero, 
wagging  his  head  drunkenly ;  "  everything  is  f-for  sale 
that  C-Ca?sar  wants  to  buy.  P-Pallas,  g-give  him — an 
order  on  the  imperial  treasury — for  that  amount  and 
t-take  the  girl  to  my  apartment  to-night." 

"  There  is  not  enough  money  in  thy  treasury  or  in 
the  world  to  buy  that  woman  from  me,"  said  Attilius 
with  reckless  boldness,  stepping  forward  defiantly,  at 
last  completely  out  of  hand. 


But  Nero  did  not  heed  him.  He  lurched  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Gwenna,  threw  his  hairy,  hideous  hands  upon 
her  shoulders  and  drew  her  to  him,  his  lips  protruding, 
his  eyes  leering. 

"  W-we — w-will  have  a — p-pretty  time,  together,"  he 
blurted  out.  "  Thou  shalt  displace  Acte  and  be  my 
freedwoman,  but  let  not  P-Poppasa  see  thee  or  thy 
shrift  will  be  short  indeed,  and  now  a  k-kiss  and  we 
shall  go.  Noble  entertainment — many  thanks — to  the 
worthy  t-tribune — the  best  part  is  the  last." 

As  he  finished  his  speech  he  leaned  forward.  Al- 
though she  died  for  it  the  next  moment,  the  maiden 
who  had  been  struggling  in  the  grasp  of  the  great  ape, 
broke  away  with  one  final,  violent  effort.  She  thrust 
out  with  her  hands  as  she  did  so  and  Nero  fell  back- 
ward, only  being  saved  from  a  plunge  to  the  floor  by 
the  aid  of  those  who  hastened  to  catch  him,  and  Gwenna, 
turning  to  flee,  found  herself  by  the  side  of  Attilius  at 
the  foot  of  the  steps.  The  tribune  put  his  left  arm 
about  her,  drew  her  to  him,  and  confronted  the  Em- 
peror. 

Nero  shook  off  those  who  held  him,  squared  himself, 
leaned  against  the  table  in  order  to  maintain  his  bal- 
ance, lifted  his  head,  and  glared  down  at  Attilius.  They 
were  close  together.  The  Emperor  needed  no  emerald 
to  see  the  tribune  now. 

"  T-thou  shalt  p-pay  for  this  insult,"  he  hissed  out. 
"  Am  I  a  m-man  m-merely,  that  I  should  be  m-mocked 
by  every  m-military  stripling  that  comes  to  Rome?  I 
shall  determine  thy  f-fate  in  the  morning — m-mean- 
while,  bide  thou  here  in  thy  domus  until  thou  dost  hear 


240    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

from  m-me.  Thou  hast  the  m-maiden  now,  but  when 
thou  art  dead,  w-whose  shall  she  be — and  the  Emperor 
thine  heir?  After  she  hath  s-served  my  purpose  she 
shall  be  whipped  until  she  is  flayed  of  her  p-pretty  skin, 
for  twice  she  hath  raised  her  hand  against  the  Emperor, 
and  he  is  a  g-god.  Now,  w-we  w-will  go.  C-come,  all 
of  you." 

He  turned,  and  followed  by  the  company  staggered 
down  the  steps,  crossed  the  room  unsteadily,  and 
lurched  out  through  the  doorway  and  into  the  atrium, 
where  his  litter  was  called.  Attilius,  still  holding 
Gwenna,  with  proud,  stern,  haughty  face,  looked  with 
contempt  at  the  wavering  figure  of  his  emperor. 

"  Said  I  not  well,"  muttered  Senecio  mockingly  as 
he  passed,  "  when  I  w-warned  thee  not  to  let  Caesar 
catch  sight  of  thy  slave?  " 

"  Open  thy  veins  quickly,"  whispered  Petronius  not 
unkindly  from  the  other  side,  "  and  do  the  same  with 
thy  slave,  lest  worse  befall  thee  in  the  morning.  Nero 
himself  might  be  too  drunk  to  remember  it,  but  there 
are  those  who  will  remind  him.  Woman,"  he  added 
not  unkindly,  as  his  eye  swept  the  face  and  figure  of 
the  girl,  "  by  Venus,  thou  art  worth  any  sacrifice,  and 
for  thy  love  a  man  might  count  even  life  itself  a  cheap 
price.  Farewell." 

"  Do  thyself  no  harm,  on  the  contrary,"  said  Regulus, 
remaining  behind  the  others.  "  Tigellinus  is  much  in 
debt  to  me.  I  will  follow  him  forthwith  and  will  bring 
thee  word  in  the  morning.  I  have  thy  promise?  " 

"  Thou   hast   it,"   said   Attilius    firmly ;   "  I   am    na 


''T-tliou  shait  p-pay  for  this  insult,"  lie  hissed  out 


THE  DRUNKEN  GOD  AND  THE  SLAVE 

vein  opener,  to  die  at  the  tyrant's  nod.  He  may  kill 
me  if  he  will.  Farewell." 

"  Hope  on.  Farewell,"  said  the  old  centurion,  fol- 
lowing the  rest  into  the  street. 

Only  the  slaves  of  the  house  had  remained. 

"  Get  you  gone,"  said  Attilius,  as  they  looked  from 
him  to  one  another  in  fearful  terror,  for  they  loved  their 
master. 

Gwenna  had  made  no  effort  to  withdraw  from  the 
clasp  of  the  tribune's  arms.  She  felt  safe  there  and 
there  alone,  although  she  realised  that  he  could  do 
little  in  such  a  case.  And  now  as  the  last  slave  dis- 
appeared he  drew  her  to  him. 

"  Methinks,"  he  whispered,  "  the  hour  striketh  for 
us,  dear  maiden.  I  face  death,  and  thou  shame " 

"  My  lord,  that  shall  not  be." 

"  Nay,"  said  Attilius,  "  with  mine  own  hand  will  I 
take  thy  life  rather  than  give  thee  over  to  the  Em- 
peror." 

"  I  know  not  whether  it  would  be  right  that  thou 
shouldst  incur  the  guilt  of  murder " 

"  Peace,"  said  Attilius,  "  leave  that  to  me.  In  the 
face  of  death  all  distinctions  are  wiped  away.  I  love 
thee.  If  we  escape  wilt  thou  be  my  wife?  " 

"Thy  wife,  lord?" 

"  See,"  said  Attilius,  releasing  her  and  kneeling  be- 
fore her.  He  caught  her  knees  in  his  arms.  "  See, 
I  sue  for  thee  as  I  never  sued  for  Lollia.  Rome  is  at 
thy  feet,  Barbarian,"  he  smiled. 

"  Nay,  nay,"  said  the  girl  softly,  stooping  over  him 


242    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

and  lifting  him  up,  "  not  at  my  feet,  master  and  lord, 
but  in  my  heart." 

And  as  they  stood  face  to  face  his  arms  sought  her 
again,  he  crushed  her  against  his  breast,  his  lips  met 
hers,  and  this  time  she  did  not  draw  them  away,  but 
gave  him  kiss  for  kiss,  clasp  for  clasp,  heart  beat  for 
heart  beat. 

"  I  would  that  Paulus  were  here  now,"  the  tribune  said 
at  last,  "  that  he  might  bless  the  marriage  with  what- 
soever rites  his  gods  may  dictate,  that  I  might  thus 
have  the  heaven  of  thy  love  before  I  meet  the  poison  or 
the  steel." 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  CRAFT  OF  THE  VETERAN  CENTURION 

NOT  long  after  the  arrival  of  Nero,  accompanied  of 
course  by  Tigellinus,  at  the  Transitory  House  on  the 
Palatine,  Regulus  appeared  at  the  doorway,  deter- 
mined to  see  the  pretorian  prefect.  Although  he  was 
met  by  a  curt  refusal  on  the  part  of  the  officer  on  guard 
to  carry  such  a  message  to  his  terrible  superior  at 
that  hour  of  the  night,  or  of  the  morning  rather,  the 
determination  and  persistence  of  the  old  soldier  at  last 
overbore  the  resistance  of  the  centurion  in  command. 

"  Take  thou  my  message,"  he  insisted  in  spite  of  the 
opposition  of  the  veteran,  "  to  the  pretorian  prefect. 
Say  that  I  come  on  the  urgent  business  of  the  tribune 
Caius  Attilius.  Be  particular  to  announce  me  as  the 
knight  Regulus,  who  was  once  comrade  to  the  prefect 
in  Spain  when  we  were  both  younger,  and  pray  him  to 
see  me.  It  is  a  matter  of  life  and  death." 

"  It  would  be  a  matter  of  life  and  death  to  me,"  re- 
turned the  centurion,  not  yet  convinced,  "  to  disturb 
the  prefect  now,  and  my  life  is  of  more  value  to  me 
than  thine." 

"  But  this,"  said  Regulus,  sinking  his  voice  to  an 
impressive  whisper  and  playing  his  last  card;  "  con- 
cerneth  the  life  of  the  Emperor." 

"  Ah,"  said  the  centurion,  wavering  a  little,  "  a 
plot?" 

243 


244          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

Regulus  nodded. 

"  Thou  seest,  therefore,"  he  added,  "  why  I  must 
have  instant  speech  with  the  noble  Sophonius  Tigel- 
linus.  Take  the  message,  officer.  The  prefect  will  be 
glad  to  see  me  and  his  anger  will  fall  heavily  upon 
thee  shouldst  thou  persist  in  denying  me." 

The  manner  of  the  old  soldier  was  so  emphatic,  his 
character  was  so  high,  his  worth  so  well  known,  that 
the  pretorian  made  no  further  objection.  As  the  matter 
seemed  of  great  importance  and  concerned  the  Em- 
peror, he  carried  the  message  himself  and  in  a  short 
time  returned  with  the  news  that  the  prefect  would 
see  his  visitor  at  once.  Greatly  impressed  by  the  ap- 
parent influence  of  the  man  who  could  thus  easily  get 
admittance  to  the  most  hated  and  feared  official  in 
Rome,  who  was  Nero's  evil  genius  so  far  as  the  base 
mind  of  the  Emperor  needed  an  evil  genius  of  any  sort, 
the  pretorian's  manner  was  now  filled  with  immense  re- 
spect, and  instead  of  sending  a  soldier  to  usher  him 
into  the  chamber  whither  Tigellinus  had  repaired,  he 
obsequiously  conducted  him  there  himself. 

Regulus  found  the  prefect  in  one  of  the  bedchambers 
of  the  palace,  in  the  quarters  assigned  to  him,  where 
he  proposed  to  pass  the  night,  not  intending  to  return 
to  his  own  home  until  the  next  morning.  Tigellinus 
had  already  thrown  aside  his  outer  garments  and  sat 
upon  his  bed  clad  only  in  his  tunic.  He  was  a  strong- 
headed  man,  and  the  walk  from  the  Aventine  to  the 
Palatine  through  the  cool  night  air,  together  with 
some  copious  ablutions  in  which  he  had  promptly  in- 
dulged, had  quite  sobered  the  prefect,  from  whom  the 


CRAFT  OF  THE  VETERAN  CENTURION  245 

effects  of  his  deep  potations  earlier  in  the  night  were 
already  passing.  He  was  almost  as  hard-headed  as 
old  Regulus  and  could  drink  deeply  and  carry  much 
liquor  without  showing  it. 

"  The  worthy  knight  Regulus,"  said  the  centurion, 
as  the  two  entered  the  room. 

"  Thou  mayest  withdraw,"  said  Tigellinus  with  a 
wave  of  his  hand  toward  the  pretorian. 

"  But,  excellency "  began  the  centurion. 

"  If  Regulus,"  interrupted  Tigellinus,  "  had  any  de- 
signs upon  me  he  could  have  carried  them  out  twenty 
years  ago  in  Lusitania  when  he  was  the  youngest  cen- 
turion of  the  Thundering  Legion  and  I  was  a  boy  in 
the  cavalry.  Art  thou  armed,  old  friend?"  asked  the 
prefect. 

"  I  buckled  on  my  sword,"  said  Regulus,  lifting  his 
cloak,  "  lest  I  should  be  stopped  by  thieves  in  the 

street,  but "  his  hands  went  to  the  belt  as  if  to 

unbuckle  the  weapon. 

"  Keep  thy  blade,"  said  Tigellinus ;  "  it  hath  been 
too  often  drawn  in  the  service  of  Caesar  for  any  one  who 
loveth  him  as  I  do  to  fear  it." 

"  Thou  hast  well  said,"  answered  Regulus. 

"  And  now,"  said  Tigellinus,  looking  at  the  cen- 
turion, "  as  I  am  in  no  danger,  thou  mayest  withdraw 
into  the  atrium  and  await  my  call." 

The  soldier  bowed,  saluted,  and  withdrew. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Tigellinus,  "  that  thou  art  come  to 
me  about  that  young  fool,  Caius  Attilius." 

"  I  am." 

"  It  is  a  bad  business." 


246          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  It  is  indeed." 

"  Doth  the  hot  head  care  enough  for  a  British  slave 
to  brave  the  wrath  of  Nero  ?  " 

"  It  seemeth  so." 

"  Why,  there  are  women  by  the  thousands  to  be 
bought  in  Rome  as  fair  as  she,  as 

"  He  loveth  her." 

"  Love !  "  said  Tigellinus,  mocking.  "  What  sort  of 
a  feeling  is  that  to  stand  between  the  Imperator  and 
his  desires?  " 

"  I,  personally,"  answered  Regulus,  "  have  long  since 
passed  any  such  feelings  by ;  age  hath  taught  me  wis- 
dom." 

"  Experience  with  Caesar  and  his  women  has  given 
me  the  same  mind  as  thine,"  said  Tigellinus,  smiling 
darkly. 

"  But  Caius  Attilius  is  young  and  this  maiden  is 
indeed  charming  enough  even  to  have  won  the  liking 
of  a  tough  old  soldier  like  myself." 

"  Is  he  not  plighted  to  Lollia  Claudia?  " 

"  I  believe  so,"  admitted  Regulus. 

"  It  would  be  better  for  his  slave's  comfort  that  he 
submit  her  to  Nero  rather  than  that  she  fall  to  the 
hand  of  that  woman  of  the  Claudii,  that " 

Tigellinus  used  unprintable  words  and  epithets  when 
he  spoke  of  Lollia. 

"  As  between  her  and  Poppaea,"  said  Regulus,  "  there 
would  be  little  choice." 

"  Ah,"  exclaimed  Tigellinus,  "  Poppaea  !  It  would 
not  be  a  bad  idea  to  play  off  another  woman  against  her. 
Nero's  passion  groweth  cold  and  Acte  attracteth  him  no 


CRAFT  OF  THE  VETERAN  CENTURION     247 

more.  There  is  a  rumour  that  she  is  inclined  to  the 
worship  of  Judea.  An  inconvenient  thing  which  may 
tend  I  know  not  whither." 

"  Quite  so,"  answered  Regulus,  who  was  not  at  all 
interested  in  Poppsea  or  Acte.  "  Hast  thou  thought 
what  it  would  be  to  have  Nero  under  the  influence  of 
a  woman  like  the  slave  of  Attilius  ?  " 

"  I  have  thought,"  answered  the  prefect,  whose  quick 
fertile  mind  needed  but  a  suggestion,  "  I  have  thought. 
Know,  O  worthy  knight  and  ancient  friend,  that 
whatever  man  or  woman  the  Emperor  looketh  favoura- 
bly upon,  even  for  a  moment,  I  take  an  immediate  ac- 
count of." 

The  wine  he  had  taken  caused  Tigellinus  to  be  frank 
to  a  degree  which  he  would  never  have  permitted  him- 
self had  he  been  in  his  complete  senses.  Regulus 
answered : 

"  I  suppose  so,  and  I  suppose  also  that  thou  hast 
thought  what  would  happen  if  Nero  became  infatuated 
with  this  slave  girl." 

"  Is  there  a  slave  in  Rome  I  cannot  control?  " 

"  One." 

"And  who  is  she?" 

"  That  woman." 

"  Thou  art  mad ;  the  woman  hath  betwitched  thee  as 
well." 

"  I  have  not  lived  sixty  years,  in  service  forty,  with- 
out knowing  whereof  I  speak.  This  is  no  ordinary  slave. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  one  of  the  head  chiefs  of  the 
Iceni.  She  is  a  woman  of  great  force  of  character, 
of  much  ability,  gracious  in  manner  and  beautiful  in 


248          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

person.  She  is  a  slave  in  name  only.  She  has  won 
the  love  of  Attilius.  He  respecteth  her  and  she  pre- 
serveth  her  purity." 

"  Well,  then,  if  I  cannot  coerce  her,"  said  Tigellinus, 
"  we  can  work  together." 

"  Not  she  and  thou,"  answered  Regulus. 

"  Why  not?  " 

"  She  is  a  Christian." 

"  Another  of  that  cursed  brood !  Some  of  these  days 
they  shall  be  made  to  pay  for  their  superstition." 

"  Very  likely,"  answered  Regulus  indifferently ; 
"  meanwhile,  do  you  want  to  introduce  such  a  person  to 
Nero?  " 

"  On  the  whole,"  said  Tigellinus  reflectively,  "  per- 
haps it  would  be  better  not  to  do  so." 

"  Good,"  answered  the  centurion,  "  thy  wisdom 
agreeth  with  my  humble  opinion  in  the  premises." 

"  Fortunately,  it  will  be  easy  to  get  rid  of  her.  Nero, 
who  hath  just  been  put  to  bed,  hath  directed  me  to 
send  a  message  from  him  to  Attilius  in  the  morning  tell- 
ing him  to  open  his  veins ;  the  girl  is  to  be  brought 
here.  I  can  easily  add  her  name  to  that  of  the  tribune 
in  the  death  order." 

"  And  how  wilt  thou  explain  the  addition  to  the 
Emperor?  " 

"  He  went  to  bed  too  drunk  to  know  what  he  com- 
manded, and  if  he  question  I  will  simply  say  it  was  his 
order." 

"  I  should  not  care  thus  to  tamper  with  Caesar's 
orders,"  said  Regulus  softly. 


CRAFT  OF  THE  VETERAN  CENTURION 

"How  else  then?" 

"  The  maiden  must  disappear." 

"  But  where,  and  how  ?  " 

"  Leave  that  to  me.  I  am  thy  friend  in  this,"  said 
Regulus. 

"  What  dost  thou  mean?  " 

"  Before  break  of  day,  Attilius  will  go  to  the  praetor 
and  have  this  maiden  freed.  I  know  of  several  places 
of  concealment,  provided  the  search  and  pursuit  of 
her  be  not  too  thorough.  Thou  canst  report  to  the 
Emperor  that  she  hath  gone,  that  thou  art  having  her 
searched  for,  and  that  when  she  is  found  thou  wilt  pro- 
duce her." 

"  That  is  well  thought  on  provided  she  be  not 
found." 

"  Well,  that  of  course  is  in  thy  hands." 

"  Aye,"  said  Tigellinus,  "  and  if  thou  canst  keep  her 
hid  for  a  week  or  a  month,  Caesar  will  forget  her,  some 
other  woman  will  attract  his  attention,  and ' 

"  I  will  see  that  she  be  kept  out  of  sight  for  that 
time.  Poppasa,  whom  thou  canst  control  doubtless,  will 
have  no  rival  and  thou  canst  choose  Nero's  loves  where 
thou  wilt." 

"  Thou  hast  done  me  a  service,"  said  Tigellinus,  "  and 
I  am  grateful.  Call  upon  me  for  further  reward  and 
thou  shalt  see.  Meanwhile  it  is  very  late,  and  I " 

"  I  have  only  discharged  the  first  part  of  my  er- 
rand," said  Regulus  quietly. 

"What  more?" 

"  The  rest  concerneth  Caius  Attilius." 

"  And  there  even  my  power  is  halted." 


250          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Not  so." 

"  Man,  man,  thou  dost  overrate  me.  There  is  no 
power  of  gods  or  man  which  can  save  Attilius  from  the 
wrath  of  Nero." 

"  None  but  thine,"  persisted  Regulus  stoutly. 

"  Thou  speakest  in  paradoxes ;  explain  thyself." 

"  The  order  must  be  changed." 

"  Aye,  it  can  be  changed,"  said  Tigellinus  grimly. 
"  Attilius  could  be  thrown  into  the  Mamertine  Prison, 
or  he  could  be  starved,  or  tortured." 

"  But  he  is  a  Roman  citizen  of  senatorial  family." 

"  When  Nero  is  hot  against  a  man  what  differ- 
ence doth  that  make?"  asked  Tigellinus  contemptu- 
ously. 

"  But  public  opinion?  " 

"  Who  would  know  if  Attilius  were  spirited  away, 
and  who  would  have  the  right  to  ask?  No,  Nero  is 
merciful.  He  lets  the  tribune  go  to  his  death  by  his 
own  hands  in  the  easiest  way.  To  tell  the  truth,  I 
was  for  severer  methods,  but  the  clemency  of  the  Em- 
peror dictated  the  message." 

"  He  must  write  another  message  and  give  another 
sentence." 

"  Regulus,"  laughed  Tigellinus,  "  methinks  there  are 
few  in  the  Empire  who  stand  as  high  as  I  and  who 
are  as  close  to  Caesar,  but  I  would  not  dare  suggest  it. 
I  would  find  mine  own  name  upon  another  tablet, 
and " 

"  Attilius  is  a  man  of  great  wealth,"  interposed 
Regulus  irrelevantly. 


CRAFT  OF  THE  VETERAN  CENTURION  251 

"  And  dost  thou  suppose  that  Caesar  hath  forgot 
that?  All  that  he  hath  will  come  to  Nero,  and  I  will 
admit  to  thee  that  Caesar  is  hard  pressed  for  money  in 
spite  of  all  that  I  can  do  to — ah — persuade  the  citizens 
to  give  him  freely  of  their  treasure." 

"  Exactly,"  said  Regulus.  "  Much  of  Attilius'  for- 
tune is  in  bills  of  exchange  scattered  throughout  the 
Empire,  invested  in  the  hands  of  faithful  bankers  in 
Syria,  Egypt,  Little  Asia,  and  some  of  it  even  in  the 
Far  West." 

"Well?" 

"  Well,  it  will  be  easy  to  destroy  the  records." 

"  In  that  case  the  bankers  who  hold  the  securities 
will  get  all." 

"  Quite  so." 

"  And  Nero  will  be  disappointed,"  said  the  prefect 
thoughtfully. 

"  He  will." 

"  But  the  tribune  hath  much  property  here  in  Rome 
and  Italy." 

"  That  is  true,  also." 

"  Well,  we  shall  get  that." 

"  I  am  not  so  sure,"  answered  Regulus,  smiling,  "  for 
Attilius  hath  made  his  will  and  bequeathed  what  he 
owneth  in  Italy  to  the  people  of  Rome." 

"  Impossible !  " 

"  Even  so." 

"Where  is  this  will?  " 

"  In  safe  hands,  and  I  think  that  even  Nero  will 
scarce  defraud  these  heirs." 

Tigellinus  mused  a  moment.     The  imperial  despot 


252          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

must  stand  well  with  the  plebs.  It  were  a  far  easier 
matter  to  confiscate  the  property  of  a  senator  than  to 
rob  the  greedy  people. 

"  Thou  art  resourceful,  old  friend ;  what  dost  thou 
suggest  ?  " 

"  First,  every  bill  of  exchange  and  account  shall  be 
placed  in  thy  hands.  The  will  leaving  his  Italian  es- 
tates to  the  people  shall  be  destroyed ;  indeed,  this  testa- 
ment will  not  be  in  force  so  long  as  the  tribune  lives, 
and  he  shall  live,  shall  he  not,  worthy  prefect?  " 

"  We  shall  see  what  can  be  done,"  growled  the  min- 
ister. "  Proceed  further." 

"  Well,  then,  I  have  this  to  suggest.  Attilius  must, 
of  course,  be  punished." 

"  There  is  no  escape  from  that." 

"  But  the  punishment  must  not  take  away  his  life 
or  deprive  him  of  his  members." 

"Prison?"  asked  Tigellinus.  "I  should  think  he 
had  rather  die." 

"  Not  prison,  but  the  army." 

"  Send  him  back  to  his  command?  " 

"  Certainly  not.  Degrade  him  from  his  rank,  force 
him  to  enlist  as  a  common  soldier." 

"  In  the  Fourteenth  Legion  ?  " 

"  In  the  Pretorian  Guard." 

"  Ah,"  said  Tigellinus,  his  facile  mind  comprehend- 
ing all  the  possibilities  of  the  situation,  "  there  is  some- 
thing in  that." 

"  Thou  canst  convince  Nero  that  the  disgrace  of 
being  a  common  pretorian,  a  legionary  soldier,  when 


CRAFT  OF  THE  VETERAN  CENTURION  253 

he  hath  been  a  tribune,  a  legate,  hath  even  been  prom- 
ised command  of  an  army,  will  be  infinitely  worse  pun- 
ishment than  death  itself.  Command  him  to  live  in- 
stead of  to  die.  Thou  canst  persuade  Nero  that  there 
is  a  refinement  of  cruelty  in  that." 

"  But  how  make  him  obey?  " 

"  He  hath  friends  near  and  dear  to  him,  myself  for 
instance,  and  others.  The  legion  in  which  he  served 
loveth  him.  Threaten  to  kill  those  friends  and  to  deci- 
mate the  legion  if  he  dieth  by  his  own  hand." 

"  That  is  most  ingenious,"  said  Tigellinus,  licking 
his  lips  with  enjoyment,  "  but  full  of  danger  neverthe- 
less." 

"  Sophonius  Tigellinus,"  said  the  old  man  gravely, 
"  dost  thou  remember  that  day  in  Lusitania  when  thou 
wert  unhorsed  by  the  fierce  Iberians  and  left  wounded 
upon  the  field,  and  how  the  enemy's  cavalry  advanced 
to  take  thee  as  thou  fell  and  one  man  broke  from  the 
legion  and  ran  to  where  thou  didst  lie  helpless,  stood 
across  thy  body,  and  with  pilum  and  sword  defied  the 
host  and  kept  them  back  until  a  cohort,  inspired  by  his 
example,  advanced  and  carried  thee,  a  mere  boy,  and 
that  same  centurion,  a  young  man,  back  into  the  hard- 
pressed  ranks  to  safety?  " 

"  I  remember,"  said  Tigellinus. 

"  Well,  by  the  memory  of  that  deed — and  I  should 
blush  to  plead  it  for  any  other  cause — wilt  thou  accom- 
plish this  my  request  ?  " 

"  And  I  am  to  have  the  records  and  bills  of  ex- 
change? " 


254          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

'  Thou  art.  I  pledge  thee  mine  honour  to  place 
them  in  thy  hands  in  the  morning." 

"And  Nero  will  take  all  that  he  owneth  here  in 
Roman  Italy?" 

"  All  save  the  maiden." 

"  Yes,  of  course.  I  will  accept  these  bills  of  ex- 
change," said  the  prefect  with  specious  magnanimity, 
"  in  the  service  of  the  Emperor." 

"  That  goeth  without  thy  saying  it,"  said  Reg- 
ulus,  who  on  occasion  could  match  craft  with  politi- 
cians. 

"  I  will  do  it,"  said  Tigellinus,  at  last.  "  I  think  it 
may  tickle  the  fancy  and  please  the  jaded  palate  of 
Caesar  to  see  this  cockerel  parading  in  the  ranks.  My 
hand  upon  it." 

Regulus  was  a  plain,  blunt  soldier,  and  not  overly 
squeamish,  but  he  lived  according  to  his  lights  and  he 
had  no  fancy  to  take  the  blood-stained  hand  of  Tigel- 
linus. He  realised  the  force  of  the  two  arguments  by 
which  he  had  secured  the  release  of  Gwenna  and  the 
life  of  Attilius ;  lest  some  one  should  undermine  the 
prefect's  influence  with  Caesar  in  one  case,  and  a  greedy 
desire  for  the  bills  of  exchange  in  the  other.  He  did 
not  care  to  take  his  hand,  but  now  there  was  no  choice, 
and  the  knight  was  not  one  to  do  things  by  halves. 
The  two  therefore  shook  hands  heartily. 

"  Hark  ye,  worthy  knight,"  said  Tigellinus,  "  having 
in  this  way  discharged  my  debt  to  thee  for  that  day 
in  Lusitania,  plead  it  no  more." 

"  I  shall  forget  it  utterly  in  the  morning,"  said 
Regulus,  "  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  exchange  the  will  of 


CRAFT  OF  THE  VETERAN  CENTURION  255 

Attilius  and  the  drafts  upon  his  bankers  for  the  order 
assigning  him  to  the  Pretorian  Guard." 

"Thou  shalt  have  it,"  said  Tigellinus,  "if  I  can 
prevail  upon  the  Emperor." 

"  A  good  night's  rest  to  thee,  noble  prefect,  and 
farewell,"  said  Regulus,  saluting  and  turning  away. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  DEGRADATION  OF  THE  TRIBUNE 

DAY  was  just  beginning  to  break  when  Regulus  found 
himself  in  the  street  again,  retracing  his  steps  to  the 
domus  of  Attilius  on  the  Aventine.  The  place  was  quiet 
when  he  arrived.  The  night  porter  stood  guard  sleep- 
ily at  the  doorway.  When  the  old  soldier  entered  the 
atrium  it  was  empty  save  for  Attilius  and  Gwenna. 
Hand  in  hand  they  sat  on  a  couch  at  the  further  end, 
and  although  death  stared  them  in  the  face,  a  look 
of  such  happiness  radiated  from  them  as  brought  a 
warm  glow  to  the  heart  of  the  old  soldier. 

"  Regulus !  "  exclaimed  Attilius,  rising  and  drawing 
Gwenna  with  him.  "  According  to  our  promise,  we 
have  waited  for  thee." 

"  Ye  have  done  well." 

"  Where  hast  thou  been  and  what  hast  thou  done?  " 

"  I  have  just  come  from  Csesar's  palace  on  the 
Palatine." 

"  And  what  hast  thou  learned?  " 

"  The  order  for  thy  death  hath  been  delivered. 
Caesar  biddeth  thee  open  thy  veins  in  the  morning." 

"  I  expected  no  less ;  and  what  of  Gwenna?  " 

"  She  is  to  be  brought  to  the  palace  by  those  who 
deliver  to  thee  the  Emperor's  command." 

"  The  same  lancet  that  openeth  my  lord's  veins, 
openeth  mine,"  interposed  the  maiden  decisively. 

256 


THE  DEGRADATION  OF  THE  TRIBUNE      257 

"  How  doth  that  comport  with  thy  new  religion, 
maiden?  "  asked  old  Regulus  curiously. 

"  I  know  not.  I  can  get  no  speech  with  Paulus  now, 
but  my  heart  telleth  me  that  it  is  better  to  die  than 
submit  to  the  Emperor." 

"  Thou  speakest  like  a  Roman !  "  cried  Attilius. 

"  Nay,  lord,  like  a  woman." 

"  But  as  few  women  do,  nowadays,"  commented 
Regulus  drily. 

"  Thou  hast  done  what  thou  couldst,  worthy  friend," 
said  Attilius.  "  The  message  of  Caesar  will  be  here 
soon,  I  take  it.  Wilt  thou  leave  us  alone  for  a  space? 
I  will  call  thee  to  bid  thee  farewell  when  it  comes." 

"  Not  so  fast,  Caius  Attilius,"  said  Regulus ;  "  the 
messenger  may  bring  a  different  order." 

"  That  may  be  worse  than  death." 

"  Nay,  the  Emperor  will  give  thee  life,  or  I  am 
greatly  mistaken." 

"On  what  terms?" 

"  That  thou  dost  enter  the  Pretorian  Guard,  as " 

"  As  tribune,  as  legate?  " 

"  As  soldier." 

"  And  dost  thou  think,"  cried  Attilius  hotly,  "  that 
I  shall  survive  such  degradation,  accept  life  on  such 
terms  ?  " 

"  And  is  it  degradation  to  enter  again  the  service 
of  the  state?  "  asked  the  old  veteran  quickly. 

"  But  to  be  broken  in  rank,  to  obey  when  I  have  com- 
manded, to  be  a  common " 

"  Stay,"  interrupted  Regulus  with  proud  sternness. 
"  I  myself  began  as  a  common  soldier,  in  the  legion. 


258          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

The  proudest  citizen  should  be  glad  to  bear  arms  even 
in  the  ranks  for  Rome." 

"  But  he  thinketh  to  mock  me " 

"  Caius  Attilius,"  whispered  Regulus  suddenly, 
"  dost  thou  think  that  Nero  will  live  forever  ?  " 

"  By  the  gods !  "  exclaimed  the  tribune.  "  I  did  in- 
deed hear  mutterings  from  Otho's  veterans  in  Lusi- 
tania." 

"  What  of  the  legions  of  Gaul?  " 

"  I  could  see  that  the  men  of  Julius  Vindex  were  as 
uncertain  as  their  brothers  of  Spain." 

"  And  in  Britain?  " 

"  The  same  spirit  of  dissatisfaction  prevails." 

"  Bide  the  time,  then." 

"Thou  meanest?" 

"  How  soon  shall  the  measure  of  iniquity  be  filled  by 
this  adulterous,  incestuous  matricide  and  a  new  Im- 
perator  set  thee  free?  " 

"  No,  no,"  said  Attilius,  "  it  cannot  be,  to  put  me 
to  open  shame,  to  point  at  me  the  finger  of  scorn,  to 
laugh  with  his  chosen  friends  over  my  action,  to  make 
sport  of  me.  I  had  rather  die  now." 

"  And  this  maiden  ?  " 

"  She,  too,  shall  die." 

"  But  how  if  she  live  to  become  the  plaything  of 
Nero?" 

"  Perish  the  thought,"  cried  Gwenna. 

"  Nay,  but  thou  shalt  be  free.  Go  thou  to  the 
praetor  with  her,  Attilius,"  the  old  centurion  said  to  the 
tribune,  "  at  break  of  day  and  manumit  her,  and  leave 
the  rest  to  me.  Ye  shall  both  live." 


THE  DEGRADATION  OF  THE  TRIBUNE      259 

"What  meanest  thou?  " 

"  I  have  seen  Tigellinus." 

"  Ah !  " 

"  And  by  our  ancient  friendship  and  such  arguments 
as  I  could  command,  it  hath  been  arranged  that  when 
she  hath  been  made  free  and  disappeareth  no  search 
worthy  of  the  name  shall  be  made  for  her.  In  a  week 
Nero  will  have  forgot  her  and  the  maid  shall  live." 

"  While  I  must  die,"  said  Attilius  bitterly. 

"  Not  so,  if  thou  hast  but  wit  enough  to  take  thy 
chance  and  wait  until  " — Regulus  lowered  his  voice  and 
peered  about  the  atrium,  for  what  he  was  to  say  would 
bring  instant  death  upon  him  if  it  were  overheard  and 
reported, — "  until  another  Caesar  ruleth  in  Rome." 

"  I  cannot  do  it,"  cried  Attilius,  whose  proud  soul 
revolted  from  the  indignity.  "  Urge  me  no  further." 

"  I  have  one  last  argument,"  said  Regulus  gravely. 

"And  what  is  that?" 

"  One  that  I  fain  would  not  use.  Nero  and  Tigel- 
linus are  determined  that  thou  shalt  live.  They  think 
that  to  cause  thee  to  live  will  punish  thee  more  than 
death  itself." 

"  They  are  right,"  said  Attilius. 

"  Therefore,  lest  thou  shouldst  disobey  the  imperial 
command  and  open  thy  veins  at  the  point  of  the  sword 
in  spite  of  Cassar's  wish,  they  have  condemned  to  accom- 
pany thee,  shouldst  thou  die,  many  friends:  Pheidip- 
pides " 

"  He  is  old  and  will  not  care." 

"  And  I  am  old  too  and  I  will  not  mind,"  said  Regulus 
simply. 


260    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"Thou!" 

"  Even  so.  And  the  soldiers  of  thy  legion  are  accus- 
tomed to  look  death  in  the  face  and  they  will  not 
mind." 

"What  meanest  thou?  " 

"  Thy  cohort  will  be  decimated.  Caesar  hath  said 
thou  shalt  not  lack  ample  following  to  attend  thee  in 
the  Elysian  Fields  for  which  thou  art  destined  if  thou 
dost  disobey  him." 

"  Monster !  "  cried  Attilius.  "  To  punish  the  inno- 
cent for  the  guilty." 

"  And  what  else  dost  thou  expect  of  Nero  and  Tigel- 
linus?" 

"  My  lord,"  said  Gwenna,  "  I  have  listened  and  I 
have  not  interrupted,  but  now  I  must  speak.  As  thou 
lovest  this  old  man " 

"  Speak  not  of  me,  lady,"  said  Regulus. 

"  As  thou  lovest  thy  friend,  thy  soldiers,  as  thou 
lovest  me,  obey  the  will  of  the  Emperor.  The  worthy 
Regulus  hath  devised  this  plan ;  is  it  not  so  ?  " 

"  Even  so." 

"  Thou  hast  done  me  sorry  service." 

"  Thou  shalt  live  to  bless  me  for  it." 

"  He  speaketh  truly,"  said  Gwenna.  "  Indeed,  my 
lord,  it  bringeth  us  closer  to  each  other.  Even  a  freed- 
woman  may  wed  a  soldier,  a  pretorian  of  the  guard. 
I  entreat  thee  " — she  sank  to  her  knees  before  Attilius 
and  stretched  out  her  hand — "  live  and  live  for  me." 

"My  honour?" 

"  It  is  not  involved,"  said  Regulus. 

"My  dignity?" 


THE  DEGRADATION  OF  THE  TRIBUNE      261 

"  Thou  canst  afford  to  lay  it  by." 

"  My  love,"  said  Gwenna,  stretching  out  her  hands 
and  smiling  through  her  tears. 

"  Have  it  your  own  way,"  said  the  tribune  at  last ; 
"  on  your  heads  be  it,  but  put  me  not  on  guard  over 
Csesar." 

To  secure  the  consent  of  Attilius  had  been  the  hard- 
est part  of  the  task  of  Regulus,  but  once  that  had  been 
given  the  other  requirements  were  easy.  Although  it 
was  not  an  hour  at  which  such  business  was  usually 
transacted,  Caius  Attilius  and  Regulus  took  Gwenna  to 
one  of  the  city  praetors,  the  nearest  one,  whom  they 
routed  out  of  bed  for  the  purpose,  and  in  accordance 
with  the  ancient  rites  and  ceremonies  provided  in  such 
case,  the  maiden  was  formally  and  absolutely  made  free 
forever. 

"  Now  where  shall  I  place  thee  that  thou  mayest  be 
safely  concealed?  "  asked  Regulus  doubtfully. 

He  had  as  yet  no  house  of  his  own,  having  lived  in 
the  domus  of  Caius  Attilius  when  not  in  the  apartment 
he  had  rented  temporarily. 

"  The  good  Paulus  will  take  me  in  and  no  one  will 
think  of  looking  for  me  there,"  said  the  maiden 
promptly. 

"  But  there,"  Caius  Attilius  pointed  out,  "  thou  wilt 
be  seen  by  the  soldier  on  guard." 

"  He  will  commit  me  to  some  other  friend  then," 
urged  Gwenna. 

"  Thou  must  disguise  thyself,"  said  Regulus,  "  by 
putting  stain  on  thy  body  and  darkening  thy  golden 
hair.  Thou  canst  then  pass  for  a  maiden  from  Galatia, 


262          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

a  slave  in  attendance  upon  the  good  old  man  until  he 
can  dispose  of  thee  safely  elsewhere." 

"  Wilt  thou  take  her  there  at  once?  "  asked  Attilius. 
"  Explain  all  to  the  worthy  Paulus.  She  is  a  Christian 
and  he  will  receive  her  to  save  her  from  Nero,  and 
perhaps  for  my  sake.  British  Gwenna,"  continued  the 
young  tribune,  turning  to  her,  "  I  know  not  when  or 
where  we  shall  meet  again.  I  know  not  what  fortune 
may  hold  for  me  or  thee,  but  I  am  sure  of  one  thing 
and  that  is  that  I  love  thee.  Whether  I  be  placed  high 
or  low,  I  shall  make  thee  my  true  and  honourable  wife 
when  I  can,  shouldst  thou  be  like-minded  still." 

"  I  shall  never  be  other-minded  in  this  world,"  said 
the  maiden,  looking  at  him,  her  heart  in  her  eyes. 
"  May  Christus  have  thee  in  His  keeping." 

"  And  if  there  be  a  God,"  said  Attilius,  "  may  He 
watch  over  thee.  Farewell." 

It  did  not  take  Regulus  very  much  time  to  escort 
the  maiden  to  the  insula  and  leave  her  with  Paulus.  She 
drew  her  cloak  over  her  head  as  she  passed  unnoticed 
through  the  outer  room  whither  Paulus  and  his  guard 
had  been  summoned  by  the  old  soldier.  The  pretorian 
would  not  recognise  her  when  he  saw  her  again.  She 
would  be  a  changed  woman,  not  to  be  distinguished  from 
the  many  others  who  came  and  went  as  guests  of  the 
Hebrew.  Paulus  received  her  willingly,  although  at 
the  peril  of  his  life.  He  did  not  hesitate  to  do  anything 
to  save  this  woman,  or  indeed  any  woman,  from  associa- 
tion with  Caesar,  and  he  bade  Regulus  carry  a  mes- 
sage of  good  cheer  to  the  tribune,  for  whom  he  said  he 


THE  DEGRADATION  OF  THE  TRIBUNE      263 

foresaw  ultimate  happiness,  and  that  with  him  and 
Gwenna  all  would  be  well  in  the  end. 

It  was  full  morning  when  Regulus  got  back  to  At- 
tilius,  whom  he  found  walking  moodily  up  and  down 
the  atrium.  The  records  of  his  investments  and  bills 
of  exchange  were  soon  prepared  and  given  to  Regulus 
at  his  request. 

"  What  is  to  be  done  with  my  people  ?  "  asked  the 
tribune. 

"  Those  who  are  free  can  go  their  ways,  the  rest  fall 
to  Nero." 

"  I  will  free  Lais  if  thou  wilt  provide  for  her." 

"  Gladly." 

"  It  is  a  hard  fate  to  be  meted  out  to  some  of  the 
others  after  so  many  years  of  service.  Cannot 
thou " 

"  Nay,"  said  Regulus,  "  I  have  done  all  that  I  can. 
And  I  do  not  know  even  now  whether  I  have  succeeded 
in  my  purpose." 

"  Way  for  the  prefect  of  the  Pretorian  Guard," 
cried  the  porter,  suddenly  opening  the  door. 

Into  the  room  strode  the  lordly,  magnificently  armed 
Tigellinus,  followed  by  several  centurions  and  a  number 
of  soldiers. 

"  Greeting,  Tribune,"  said  the  prefect  tersely  to 
Caius  Attilius. 

"  Greeting,  Prefect,"  answered  Attilius,  drawing 
himself  up  and  for  the  last  time  confronting  the  prefect 
on  terms  of  equality.  "  To  what  doth  my  poor  house 
owe  the  honour  of  this  visit?  "  he  asked  with  elaborate 
courtesy. 


264    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  A  command  of  the  Imperator,"  answered  Tigel- 
linus  briefly,  "  which  I  have  brought  in  person." 

"  I  am  overwhelmed  at  thy  condescension,"  said  At- 
tilius.  "  And  what  doth  the  Imperator  desire  of  me?  " 

"  Read,"  said  the  prefect,  presenting  the  order. 

Attilius  slowly  broke  the  seal.  Regulus  stepped  closer 
to  the  prefect  and  whispered : 

"Is  all  well?" 

"  All  is  well." 

"Good;  I  have  the  deeds  and  bills  of  exchange  for 
thee  in  a  safe  place." 

"  Thou  art  prudent." 

"  Thou  hast  taught  me  that  necessity  by  example," 
answered  Regulus  grimly. 

Meanwhile  Attilius  had  read  the  Emperor's  message. 

"  Stripped  of  all,"  he  exclaimed,  lifting  his  hands 
and  letting  the  tablet  fall  to  the  ground. 

"  But  there  is  more,"  said  old  Regulus,  stooping  and 
picking  it  up.  "  See,  thy  life  is  spared." 

"  But  on  conditions,"  added  Tigellinus. 

"  Aye,  that  I  should  enlist  in  thy  pretorians,  Pre- 
fect." 

"  It  is  even  so,"  said  Tigellinus.  "  Well,"  he  added, 
turning  to  Attilius,  "what  sayest  thou?  " 

"  I  am  ready,"  was  the  bitter  answer. 

"  Administer  the  oath,"  said  Tigellinus  to  one  of  the 
centurions. 

The  next  moment  the  few  words  were  spoken  which 
utterly  changed  the  condition  of  the  haughty  young 
patrician,  the  former  tribune  and  prospective  legate, 
the  future  commander  of  armies,  by  enrolling  him  as 


THE  DEGRADATION  OF  THE  TRIBUNE      265 

a  private  in  the  Pretorian  Guard,  the  personal  guard 
of  the  Cassars. 

"  Take  him  to  the  camp,"  said  Tigellinus  sternly, 
and  yet  with  evident  relish,  his  mean  soul  exulting  at 
this  unparalleled  degradation  of  the  young  tribune ; 
"  provide  him  with  uniforms  and  instruct  him  as  to  his 
duties.  Thou,  Attilius,  see  that  thou  dost  conduct  thy- 
self as  a  soldier,  and  remember  that  anything  but  im- 
plicit, absolute,  unquestioned  obedience  is  punishable 
with  death." 

"  I  have  been  a  soldier  long  enough,  excellency, 
to  know  the  duties  of  the  position  and  how  they  must 
be  fulfilled,"  returned  Caius  Attilius  with  a  haughty 
respect  which  galled  the  prefect,  although  he  found 
nothing  particular  to  fault  in  it. 

"  And  forget  not  to  invoke  the  gods  for  the  Emperor 
by  whose  clemency  thou  art  alive  this  day,"  he  added 
sneeringly. 

"  I  shall  never  forget  the  clemency  of  the  Emperor," 
responded  Attilius  meaningly,  turning  away,  falling 
into  the  ranks  of  the  pretorians,  and  marching  with 
the  others  from  the  room  at  a  signal  from  the  pre- 
fect. 

"  The  bills  of  exchange,  the  will,"  said  Tigellinus 
quickly  to  Regulus,  so  soon  as  he  was  alone  with  his 
former  comrade. 

From  the  breast  of  his  tunic,  Regulus  drew  forth  the 
precious  papers  and  placed  them  in  the  hands  of  his 
greedy  friend. 

"  Thou  hadst  them  there  after  all ! "  laughed  Tigel- 
linus. 


266    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  I  did  not  serve  with  thee,  even  in  my  youth,"  an- 
swered Regulus  quickly,  "  without  learning  something." 

"  Which  was —      "  asked  the  prefect. 

"  To  trust  nobody  but  myself,"  answered  the  soldier 
bluntly,  much  to  the  delight  of  the  prefect,  who  could 
thoroughly  appreciate  the  significance  of  such  a  remark. 


BOOK  IV 
THE  CHAINED  HANDS 


CHAPTER  XIX 

LOLLIA    CLAUDIA    SPEAKETH    HER    MIND 

PAULUS  was  intently  poring  over  a  roll  of  manuscript. 
An  important  letter  had  been  received  by  the  little 
church  in  Rome  from  Peter.  After  it  had  been  read 
publicly  at  the  service  on  the  preceding  Lord's  Day, 
it  had  been  brought  to  Paulus  by  Linus,  one  of  the 
chief  presbyters  of  the  church.  The  Christians  had 
free  access  to  Paulus,  even  though  he  was  a  prisoner 
and  could  not  go  out  to  meet  with  them,  nor  could  they 
assemble  with  him  save  in  very  small  groups  because 
of  the  limited  accommodation  of  his  apartment.  He 
was  deeply  interested  in  the  epistle,  especially  as  it 
contained  a  kindly  personal  reference  to  him,  which 
was  the  more  precious  to  him  because  there  had  been 
in  times  past  rather  sharp  contentions  and  grave  dif- 
ferences about  important  matters  between  the  two 
apostles. 

The  day  was  warm,  and  Paulus  sat  by  the  side  of 
an  open  window.  The  pretorian  of  the  guard  to  whom 
he  was  chained  lounged  lazily  against  the  wall  near 
another  window.  His  tour  of  duty  lasted  a  day,  and  he 
was  now  waiting  expectantly  for  his  much  desired  re- 
lease. Paulus  did  not  feel  well.  Some  weighty  prob- 
lems connected  with  the  administration  of  the  Church 
pressed  upon  him.  His  face  was  pale,  his  brow  fur- 
rowed, and  although  he  never  had  a  warning  of  those 

269 


270          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

seizures  to  which  he  was  liable,  he  was  indefinably  ap- 
prehensive nevertheless  of  something  untoward.  He 
laid  the  roll  of  manuscript  down  on  his  knees  and  cov- 
ered his  eyes  with  his  hand.  He  had  read  it  several 
times  already,  and  he  wanted  to  consider  it  prayerfully 
and  undisturbed. 

The  pretorian,  attracted  by  the  light  clink  of  the 
chain  as  the  prisoner  lifted  his  arm,  glanced  at  Paulus, 
observed  his  lips  moving,  and  thought  that  the  old  man 
was  praying  to  his  gods,  as  was  often  his  custom.  This 
particular  soldier  was  a  stupid  man,  upon  whom  all 
that  happened  during  his  tour  of  duty  made  little  or 
no  impression.  He  was  bored  rather  than  anything 
else  with  the  long  day  of  dull  guarding  in  which  noth- 
ing of  any  importance  ever  seemed  to  occur,  and  he 
was  accordingly  glad  when  he  heard  the  steady  tramp  of 
a  number  of  men  mounting  the  stairs  outside.  They 
presently  came  to  a  halt  on  the  platform  beyond  the 
door. 

Paulus  was  not  able  to  enjoy  the  luxury  of  a  door- 
keeper, and  thus  no  one  without  had  the  least  hesita- 
tion in  entering  unceremoniously.  The  huge  wooden  door 
revolved  and  an  under  officer  appeared  in  the  opening. 
The  decurion,  bidding  the  rest  of  the  maniple,  or  squad 
of  ten  men,  remain  outside,  after  directing  one  of  them 
to  come  with  him,  without  a  word  of  greeting  strode 
abruptly  into  the  room,  followed  by  the  designated 
soldier.  At  his  belt  hung  a  bunch  of  keys.  The  process 
of  relieving  guard  was  a  common  one  to  Paulus ;  for 
over  a  year  and  a  half  he  had  witnessed  it  daily  and 
it  had  ceased  to  interest  him.  A  certain  regular  number 


LOLLIA  SPEAKETH  HER  MIND         271 

of  soldiers  was  detailed  for  his  particular  guard  and  the 
personnel  of  the  guard  was  not  often  changed.  There 
was  no  novelty  about  the  process  or  the  men. 

Nevertheless,  the  apostle  usually  greeted  the  new- 
comers with  a  gentle  word  and  a  pleasant  smile  which 
sometimes  won  for  him  a  grudging  respect  and  on  occa- 
sion a  certain  shamefaced  regard,  but  in  this  instance 
he  was  so  deeply  plunged  in  thought  over  Peter's  epistle 
that  he  did  not  lift  his  head  or  even  drop  his  hand  and 
raise  his  eyes. 

The  pretorian  about  to  be  relieved  saluted,  stood  at 
attention,  and  extended  his  arm.  The  pretorian  who 
was  to  relieve  him  stepped  forward  and  extended  his 
arm  also.  From  the  bunch  of  keys  at  his  belt  the 
decurion  selected  a  small  one.  With  it  he  unlocked  the 
fetter  on  the  arm  of  the  pretorian,  who  heaved  a  long 
sigh  of  relief  as  he  was  thus  freed,  and  watched  with 
interest  while  the  fetter  was  clasped  about  the  left  arm 
of  the  newcomer  and  locked  as  before. 

The  newcomer  was  such  in  every  sense  of  the  word. 
The  legionary  who  was  relieved  was  a  veteran  and 
knew  most  of  the  men  of  the  cohort  whence  the  guard 
of  Paulus  had  been  selected,  but  he  had  never  seen  this 
man  before ;  yet  he  was  apparently  a  soldier  of  experi- 
ence from  his  bearing.  He  wore  his  brilliant  armour 
embossed  with  silver  easily,  as  if  he  were  accustomed 
even  to  things  more  splendid,  and  his  carriage  and 
manner  were  begot  of  long  service  evidently.  His  face 
was  in  marked  contrast  to  those  of  the  other  soldiers  of 
the  cohort,  or  of  the  corps  even.  It  was  youthful, 
handsome,  striking,  and  imperious.  As  the  piercing 


272          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

glance  of  the  newcomer  fell  upon  the  man  about  to 
be  relieved,  the  latter  stifled  a  yawn,  dropped  to  his 
side  hands  which  he  had  already  extended  in  relaxation, 
came  involuntarily  to  attention,  and  made  a  motion  as 
if  to  salute,  as  if  in  the  presence  of  a  superior.  He 
only  checked  himself  just  in  time  from  rendering  this 
unconscious  tribute  when  he  realised  that  he  had  to  do 
merely  with  a  fellow-soldier.  The  decurion,  another 
veteran,  saw  the  salute  begun  and  stopped,  and  smiled 
grimly. 

"  Fall  in  with  the  maniple  outside,"  he  said  to  the 
man  he  had  just  relieved.  "  Hath  anything  untoward 
chanced  during  the  term  of  thy  guard?  Hast  thou 
aught  to  report?  " 

"  Nothing." 

"  The  prefect  hath  issued  an  order  that  we  are  to 
search  for  a  fair-haired,  blue-eyed  Gaulish  or  British 
woman  who  hath  escaped  from  the  domus  of  one  Caius 
Attilius  on  the  Aventine  and  hath  disappeared  in  the 
city.  Hast  thou  seen  her?  " 

"  There  are  no  women  here  except  the  old  Jewess 
who  keeps  house  for  the  prisoner  and  a  handmaid  re- 
cently come." 

"  That  handmaid,  what  of  her?  " 

"  She  is  as  brown-faced  and  as  black-haired  as  any 
Egyptian,"  returned  the  soldier  carelessly. 

"  That  is  well.  We  seek  not  such."  The  decurion 
turned  to  the  newcomer.  "  Thou  knowest  thine  orders. 
The  prisoner  is  not  to  be  let  out  of  thy  sight,  he  is 
not  permitted  to  leave  this  apartment,  otherwise  he  is 
to  do  as  he  pleaseth  and  his  confinement  and  bondage 


LOLLIA  SPEAKETH  HER  MIND         273 

are  to  be  made  as  little  irksome  as  possible.  His 
friends  have  liberty  to  visit  him  and  they  must  be 
treated  courteously." 

The  new  guard  nodded. 

"  Thou  art  to  report  to  me  anything  unusual  or 
extraordinary  which  thou  mayest  observe  which  appear- 
eth  to  menace  the  Emperor  and  thou  art  to  keep  a 
watch  for  that  fair-haired  maiden.  Thou  wilt  be  re- 
lieved at  this  hour  to-morrow.  The  prisoner  is  to  pro- 
vide thee  with  food,  drink,  and  whatever  else  thou 
needest,  and  on  no  account  must  the  chain  be  slipped, 
although  as  I  have  the  key  that  is  scarcely  possible. 
Keep  good  watch.  Farewell." 

The  newcomer  saluted,  the  decurion  returned  the  sa- 
lute, turned  on  his  heel,  and  followed  the  relieved  sentry 
out  on  to  the  platform,  swinging  the  door  on  its  pivot 
behind  him.  He  spoke  a  few  words  to  the  command 
and  the  men  tramped  down  the  stairs  as  they  had  come. 

The  newcomer  stood  as  if  rooted  to  the  spot.  Chance 
had  given  him  the  very  opportunity  he  would  have 
craved.  His  personal  appearance,  his  bearing,  his  mili- 
tary knowledge,  his  known  courage,  would  have  fitted 
him  for  one  of  the  pretorians  in  immediate  attendance 
upon  the  Emperor,  but  Tigellinus  deemed  it  best  that 
the  new  recruit  should  not  be  brought  into  close  touch 
with  Cassar  just  yet.  For  one  thing,  he  was  not  quite 
sure  of  Caius  Attilius.  For  another  thing,  Tigellinus 
was  too  deeply  involved  financially  in  the  transaction 
to  desire  to  make  it  possible  for  Nero  to  question  his 
former  friend.  And  lastly,  this  being  chained  to  the 
Hebrew  was  looked  upon  by  most  of  the  soldiers  as  the 


274          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

most  unpleasant  and  degrading  of  the  duties  of  the 
Pretorian  Guard.  The  prefect  had  no  wish  to  make 
things  easy  for  his  new  recruit;  indeed,  there  had  en- 
tered into  his  crafty  mind  the  possibility  that  he  could 
force  him,  or  goad  him,  into  open  rebellion,  in  which 
case  it  would  be  a  simple  matter  to  sentence  him  to 
death,  and  no  witness  to  the  shady  financial  transaction 
by  which  Regulus  had  secured  even  this  much  for  his 
friend  and  former  commander  would  be  left.  Tigel- 
linus  felt  that  he  could  deal  easily  with  the  unsupported 
word  of  the  veteran  centurion.  He  did  not  intend  that 
the  newcomer  should  fall  into  a  bed  of  roses,  by  any 
means. 

The  young  man  standing  there  staring  at  Paulus  was 
in  two  minds.  He  knew  that  what  was  considered  a 
disagreeable  and  degrading  duty  had  been  devolved 
upon  him  and  he  was  resentful  accordingly.  At  the 
same  time  Paulus  exercised  a  strange  fascination  over 
him,  their  lives  had  been  linked  together  by  a  chain  of 
events  even  more  binding  than  was  the  steel  that  ran 
from  hand  to  hand. 

In  some  degree  his  punishment  was  due  to  Paulus, 
although  he  was  too  fair  a  man  to  lay  that  completely 
to  his  charge ;  yet  the  fact  that  he  had  promised  Paulus 
to  protect  Gwenna  and  the  fact  that  Paulus'  prohibi- 
tion had  prevented  his  passionate  desire  from  running 
its  course  and  had  thereby  whetted  his  love  for  the 
maiden,  had  made  him  more  ready  to  brave  even  Nero 
in  her  behalf.  Again,  he  might  not  have  bought  the 
British  woman  if  it  had  not  been  for  that  sign  of  the 
fish  which  Lucas  had  given  him  as  they  parted  on  the 


LOLLIA  SPEAKETH  HER  MIND         275 

island  of  Malta.  But  he  was  too  just  a  man  at  heart 
not  to  admit  that  he  would  probably  have  purchased 
Gwenna  when  he  saw  her  on  the  block  of  Phryx,  and 
that  he  probably  would  have  loved  her,  and  even  if  he 
had  possessed  her  he  would  probably  have  fought  with 
Nero  for  her,  whether  Paulus  had  ever  come  to  Rome 
or  not.  So  his  resentment  was  not  very  keen,  not  nearly 
so  lively  indeed  as  his  interest. 

That  interest  was  in  Paulus  himself,  who  did  not 
fail  to  impress  all  who  came  in  contact  with  him  most 
profoundly,  be  they  high  or  low  in  station,  Roman, 
Greek,  Hebrew,  or  what  not.  There  was  a  strange, 
mysterious  power  about  the  man  which  affected  every 
one  greatly.  But  the  interest  of  the  tribune  was  greater 
because  through  Paulus  he  hoped  to  find  Gwenna.  The 
conversation  between  the  decurion  and  his  predecessor 
convinced  him  that  Gwenna  had  not  as  yet  been  cap- 
tured and  Paulus  had  bestowed  her  in  some  place  of 
safety.  He  did  not  suspect  that  the  black-haired  serv- 
ing woman  to  whom  the  soldier  had  referred  was  she. 

He  wished  now  that  he  could  see  again  the  worthy 
centurion,  his  former  subordinate,  for  since  Caius  At- 
tilius  had  been  closely  questioned  and  had  honestly  af- 
firmed that  he  had  no  knowledge  of  the  whereabouts  of 
the  maiden,  it  would  now  be  safe  to  trust  him  with 
the  secret  of  her  hiding  place.  The  discipline  of  the 
pretorians  was  rigid,  but  they  were  allowed  a  free  day  in 
Rome  on  occasion,  and  he  did  not  doubt  that  with  the 
connivance  and  help  of  Regulus  he  could  manage  to 
spend  some  time  in  comparative  safety  with  golden 
Gwenna  again.  He  could  make  a  guess  that  Paulus  had 


276          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

committed  her  to  the  care  of  some  of  the  other  Chris- 
tians, and  he  was  burning  with  anxiety  and  desire  to 
question  the  Hebrew  about  her,  to  learn  where  she  was 
and  where  he  could  see  her. 

There  was  something  in  the  attitude  of  the  man,  and 
the  deep  preoccupation  and  melancholy  which  were  sug- 
gested by  his  posture,  however,  that  kept  Attilius  for 
the  moment  from  disturbing  him.  He  stood  in  silence, 
hoping  and  expecting  that  Paulus  would  presently 
change  his  position  and  give  him  an  opportunity  to 
speak,  and  that  silence  was  a  tribute  of  respect  from 
the  Roman  to  the  personality  of  the  Hebrew. 

When  he  could  bear  it  no  longer,  he  gathered  up  the 
chain  in  his  hand  and  stepped  toward  the  silent  figure  in 
the  chair.  The  movement  of  course  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  Hebrew.  He  dropped  his  hand,  his  lips 
closed,  his  murmurings  ceased,  he  raised  his  head  and 
turned  it  in  the  direction  of  his  keeper,  beginning  his 
customary  gentle  and  courteous  salutation  to  the  new- 
comer. 

"  Greeting,  soldier,"  he  said,  and  then  beneath  the 
plumed  and  glittering  helmet  he  recognised  the  face  of 
the  man.  "  Caius  Attilius ! "  he  exclaimed,  "  the 
tribune !  " 

He  rose  to  his  feet  and  stared  in  surprise. 

"  The  same,  worthy  Paulus." 

"  And  what  dost  thou  here  ?  Is  it  play  on  thy  part  ? 
Hast  thou  entered  upon  this  duty " 

"  I  am  a  soldier  of  the  guard,  as  thou  seest." 

"  I  remember,"  said  Paulus,  passing  his  hand  over 
his  brow.  "  I  do  not  feel  very  well  this  morning.  I 


LOLLIA  SPEAKETH  HER  MIND         277 

have  been  told  of  thy  brave  defence  of  the  woman,  of 
the  trouble  in  which  thou  hast  been  involved  by  crossing 
the  will  of  the  Emperor,  and  of  the  punishment  which 
hath  been  meted  out  to  thee.  But  I  did  not  dream  that 
thou  shouldst  be  allotted  the  duty  of  guarding  me. 
Didst  thou  apply  for  that  position?  " 

"  No." 

"How  then?" 

"  The  pretorians  are  a  rough  sort ;  they  do  not  fancy 
the  long  confinement  at  the  end  of  this  chain.  The  new- 
comer gets  the  unpleasant  detail." 

"And  is  it  unpleasant  to  thee?" 

"  Since  I  am  degraded  to  the  ranks,  it  mattereth  little 
to  what  further  pass  I  am  reduced,  or  to  what  duty 
I  am  assigned." 

"  My  son,"  said  Paulus  gravely,  "  thou  and  thy  com- 
rades who  are  bound  to  me  have  opportunities  unfor- 
tunately denied  to  the  others,  for  which  perhaps  some 
day  thou  and  they  may  thank  God." 

"  What  opportunities  ?  " 

"  To  hear  from  one  who  hath  seen  Him,  and  believed 
therefore,  about  the  Christus." 

"  That  God  of  thine,"  laughed  Attilius,  half  in  scorn, 
half  in  amazement. 

"  As  the  world  seeth  and  believeth  in  that  God  of 
mine,  as  thou  sayest,  its  fate  shall  be  determined." 

"  The  proposition  doth  little  interest  me,"  answered 
the  Roman ;  "  my  fate  is  already  determined.  I  have 
lost  fortune,  liberty,  the  woman  I  love.  I  am  a  soldier, 
a  legionary;  and  as  thou  art  my  prisoner  so  this  chain 


278          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

also  makes  me  thine.  But  enough  of  that.  The  maiden 
— Gwenna,  what  of  her?  " 

"  I  have  seen  her." 

"  What  said  she?    Was  she  well?  " 

"  Well,  and  she  hath  told  me  many  things." 

"  Where  is  she  now?  What  hast  thou  done  with  her? 
How  can  I  see  her?  When  can  I  have  speech  with 
her?" 

"  Patience,  good  youth,"  answered  Paulus,  smiling ; 
"  she  is  well.  Thou  canst  both  see  her  and  have  speech 
with  her  presently." 

"  Speed  the  hour  when  I  shall  be  released  and  can 
search  for  her." 

"  You  would  not  jeopard  her  life,  her  honour,  by  any 
rash  action  ?  " 

"  I  am  not  likely  to,  good  Paulus,  since  to  pre- 
serve them  I  have  forfeited  everything  but  my  own 
life." 

"  The  maiden  told  me  of  thine  action.  It  was  bravely 
done,  Roman ;  thou  art  a  man  indeed.  God  shall 
requite  thee  here  or  hereafter.  That  thou  hast  perilled 
everything  for  a  slave " 

"A  slave  no  longer;  I  took  her  before  the  praetor 
and  she  is  now  free  as  she  was  born." 

"And  is  a  woman  ever  free  who  loveth?  "  asked 
Paulus  shrewdly. 

"  May  the  gods  bless  thee  for  those  words,"  cried 
Attilius.  "  Indeed,  all  that  makes  me  support  the 
disgrace  of  my  position  is  that  it  was  for  her  and  that 
I  have  been  of  service  to  her." 

"And  wouldst  thou  marry  this  maiden?  " 


LOLLIA  SPEAKETH  HER  MIND         279 

"  Would  I?  Let  me  throw  aside  this  armour  and  be 
a  free  man  once  more " 

"  But  I  have  heard  that  thou  art  still  in  bonds." 

"  Thou  meanest " 

"  To  the  lady  Lollia  Claudia." 

"  The  disfavour  of  the  Emperor  will  snap  those 
bonds,"  answered  Caius  Attilius  grimly.  "  I  sent  her 
a  message  of  the  strait  to  which  I  was  reduced  and  of- 
fered to  release  her.  She  said  that  I  might  expect  her 
at  the  camp  this  day.  I  looked  for  her,  not  knowing 
that  I  was  to  be  allotted  this  service." 

"  I  do  indeed  hear  footsteps  upon  the  stairs,"  said 
Paulus,  whose  defective  vision  was  compensated  for  by 
an  unusually  acute  sense  of  hearing.  "  Who  cometh, 
I  wonder  ?  " 

"  Some  of  thy  Christian  friends  belike,"  answered 
Attilius. 

"  Nay,  these  are  the  hours  in  which  they  work  as 
slaves,  or  humble  freedmen,  or  modest  citizens,  earning 
their  bread  in  the  sweat  of  their  brows.  It  is  some 
stranger." 

"  We  shall  soon  see." 

As  he  spoke  the  door  opened  again  and  half  a  score 
of  slaves  in  a  rich  uniform  entered  without  saying  so 
much  as  by  your  leave.  They  separated  and  disclosed 
in  their  midst  the  little  figure  of  Lollia  Claudia. 

At  the  sight  of  her  Attilius  started  violently. 

"  So,"  she  cried,  in  a  voice  of  anger  and  contempt, 
"  I  find  thee  chained  like  a  beast  to  this  dog  of  a 
Jew." 

"  Chained  am  I,  it  were  useless  to  deny  it,  but  he 


280    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

whom  thou  dost  term  a  dog  of  a  Jew  is  a  Roman  citi- 
zen." 

"  How  came  the  covetousness  of  the  Jew  to  give  way 
to  the  temptations  of  citizenship,  since  he  must  have 
parted  with  many  sesterces  for  the  privilege?  " 

"  I  was  freeborn,"  said  Paulus  gently,  "  and  my 
father  before  me." 

"  And  doth  the  wretch  presume  to  speak  to  me. 
Smite  him  on  the  mouth,"  cried  Lollia  furiously  to  one 
of  her  attendants. 

The  man  addressed  raised  the  whip  that  he  used  to 
clear  the  way  through  the  crowded  streets  for  the  litter 
of  his  mistress  and  stepped  forward,  but  Attilius  was 
before  him. 

"  This  is  a  prisoner  who  hath  appealed  to  Caesar. 
He  is  under  my  charge.  Lay  but  the  weight  of  thy 
finger  upon  him,  slave,  and  thou  diest." 

He  whipped  out  the  short-bladed  Roman  sword  that 
he  wore  as  he  spoke.  He  did  not  raise  his  voice  above 
its  conversational  tone,  but  there  was  that  in  his  quiet 
bearing  which  convinced  that  particular  slave  and  all 
the  rest.  The  man  fell  back  in  discomfiture  and  con- 
fusion. 

"  If  it  be  God's  will,"  said  Paulus,  "  that  for  my  sins 
I  be  smitten  at  a  woman's  command,  His  will  be  done." 

The  bearing  of  the  Hebrew  was  as  meek  as  his  words, 
but  his  eyes  flashed,  his  colour  came  and  went,  his  body 
trembled  under  the  strong  constraint  he  put  upon  him- 
self. 

"  It  is  not  my  will,"  said  Attilius  proudly,  "  and 
that  settleth  it." 


LOLLIA  SPEAKETH  HER  MIND         281 

"  I  might  have  expected  it,"  sneered  the  woman ; 
**  any  man  who  would  throw  away  life,  riches,  honour 
for  a  wretched  slave  might  even  be  expected  to  protect 
a  vile  Jew  from  merited  chastisement." 

"Thou  hast  heard?" 

"  I  have  heard  everything.  Thou  wert  betrothed  to 
me — to  me,"  she  struck  her  breast  as  she  spoke,  "  and 
yet  for  the  sake  of  a  common  woman  from  the  block, 
whom  I  would  have  given  to  the  basest  of  my  people, 
thou  hast  lost  the  favour  of  thine  Emperor  and  art 
brought  so  low." 

Attilius  bowed  before  her.  He  said  nothing,  there 
was  nothing  to  say.  No  defence  that  he  could  enter  into 
would  have  been  of  the  least  use,  the  woman  before  him 
would  not  have  comprehended.  She  was  incapable  of 
fine  actions  herself  and  it  was  impossible  for  her  to 
understand  them  in  another. 

"  Thou  canst  speak  fluently  in  defence  of  thy 
leman  before  Nero,  but  thou  standest  dumb  before  me," 
she  continued. 

"  I  know  what  is  due  to  a  woman,"  said  Attilius, 
goaded  into  speech  at  last,  "  but  I  warn  thee  not  to 
try  my  patience  too  far.  Thou  canst  heap  thy  con- 
tempt upon  me,  perhaps  I  merit  it,  but  when  thou  dost 
asperse  the  character  of  that  British  maiden  thy  re- 
marks cannot  pass  unchallenged." 

"  And  who  art  thou  now,"  cried  Lollia  insolently, 
"  to  question  what  I  say  or  what  I  do?  " 

"  I  am  of  a  family  as  old  and  as  honourable  as  thine 
own,"  cried  Attilius,  forgetful  for  the  moment  of  his 
present  station ;  "  I  am " 


282    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Thou  art  a  pretorian  of  the  guard,  a  common  sol- 
dier !  Come  no  nearer,"  cried  the  woman ;  "  touch  me 
not  at  thy  peril." 

In  his  anger  Attilius  had  advanced  threateningly 
close  to  Lollia.  She  was  brave  as  her  race.  She  did 
not  give  back  an  inch.  She  looked  at  him  sneeringly, 
mockingly,  and  then  lifted  her  little  hand  and  struck 
him  fair  upon  the  cheek.  It  was  a  light  blow,  but  heavy 
indeed  in  the  bearing.  Attilius  stood  appalled.  No 
chastising  hand  had  ever  been  laid  upon  him  since  his 
childhood  days.  He  stared  into  the  glittering  eyes  and 
flaming  face  of  the  Roman  woman,  his  hand  clenching 
and  unclenching.  Paulus  instantly  gathered  the  chain 
in  his  hand  and  with  difficulty  resisted  the  impulse  to 
draw  it  tight  so  as  to  hold  back  the  man.  He  was 
fearful  what  the  tribune  might  do,  but  when  he  saw 
that  he  had  not  lost  his  self-control  he  dropped  the 
gathered  links  of  the  chain  and  watched  him  anxiously. 

"  Thou  hast  struck  a  soldier  of  Caesar,"  said  Attilius, 
with  that  same  deadly  calm  with  which  he  had  menaced 
the  slave.  "  The  dishonour  is  to  him  whose  uniform 
I  wear,  not  to  myself.  Should  it  be  reported  it  would 
go  hard  with  thee." 

"  And  dost  thou  think  they  would  weigh  the  word 
of  a  pretorian  of  the  guard  against  the  denial  of  a 
daughter  of  the  Claudii?  "  laughed  the  angry  woman. 

"  I  shall  give  them  no  opportunity,"  answered  Caius 
Attilius,  "  for  I  remember  that  thou  wert  my  promised 
wife  and  I  would  not  put  the  shame  and  danger  upon 
thee." 

"  Thou  fool,  one  moment  in  Nero's  arms,  one  whisper 


LOLLIA  SPEAKETH  HER  MIND         283 

through  the  lips  I  might  press  upon  the  Emperor's 
cheek,  and  thou  mightest  talk  thyself  dumb." 

"  Standeth  the  matter  thus  ?  "  asked  the  tribune. 

"  Thus." 

"  There  are  some  compensations  even  in  the  direst 
of  misfortunes  then,"  he  answered  meaningly. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  woman,  "  if  thou  hadst  died  rather 
than  submit  to  this  degradation,  I  should  not  have 
been  mocked  for  the  quality  of  my  betrothed." 

"  Had  I  lived,"  said  Attilius,  "  I  should  have  been 
mocked  for  the  quality  of  mine." 

"  Thou  dost  insult  me,"  cried  Lollia. 

"  I  would  not  so  fail  in  my  duty  toward  a  woman," 
answered  the  tribune ;  "  if  thou  art  insulted,  the  insult 
lieth  in  Nero's  arms  and  that  kiss  upon  his  cheek  of 
which  thou  hast  spoken." 

"  And  thou  wouldst  be  honoured  by  what  the  Em- 
peror left." 

"  That  I  am  not  so  honoured,"  said  the  tribune 
gravely,  "  is  the  compensation  that  I  find." 

"  Enough,"  said  Lollia,  endeavouring  to  carry  off 
her  discomfiture  by  greater  arrogance.  "  They  laugh 
at  me  in  the  streets,  they  ask  me  when  I  am  going  to 
wed  my  legionary.  Thou  hast  made  an  enemy  of  me. 
When  I  get  the  ear  of  the  Emperor  thou  shalt  be  made 
to  feel  what  it  is  to  have  incurred  my  wrath.  I  have 
not  done  with  thee  yet." 

"  The  longer  thou  stayest  and  the  more  I  hear,  the 
more  I  congratulate  myself  upon  my  escape." 

"  Dog,"  cried  the  woman  in  fury,' "  let  me  go  that  I 
may  get  to  work  upon  my  vengeance." 


284    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  I  pray  of  thee,  lady,  of  thy  kindness  stay  a  mo- 
ment," interposed  the  old  Hebrew. 

"Dost  thou  address  me  again,  Jew?"  cried  Lollia 
in  surprise. 

"  For  the  second  time  I  presume." 

"  What  wouldst  thou?  " 

"  A  word  with  thee.  Nay,"  continued  Paulus  ear- 
nestly, "  deny  me  not.  It  is  for  thine  own  interest." 

There  was  something  in  his  voice  and  bearing  which 
affected  Lollia  strangely. 

"  Well,  then,"  she  said,  coming  to  a  sudden  decision. 
She  threw  her  hand  out  toward  Attilius,  "  Stand  aside." 

"  If  thou  wilt,"  said  Paulus  courteously  to  the  young 
Roman. 

"  At  thy  request,"  returned  Attilius,  walking  to  the 
limit  of  his  tether  and  turning  his  back. 

Paulus  and  Lollia  conversed  for  a  few  moments. 

"It  is  false,"  cried  the  woman  suddenly;  "I  will 
have  thee  beaten." 

But  Paulus  only  shook  his  head. 

"  Remember,  I  pray  thee.  As  for  beating  me,  it 
would  profit  thee  little,  and  indeed  I  am  under  Caesar's 
protection  and  will  some  day  have  a  hearing." 

"  That  for  thy  protection,"  she  said  in  fury. 

She  seized  from  the  nearest  slave  the  whip  and  with 
it  struck  the  apostle  viciously.  The  lash  curled  across 
his  shoulders  and  left  a  red  line  on  his  cheek.  His  face 
was  suddenly  transformed.  White  with  anger,  break- 
ing all  bounds,  he  straightened  himself  and  extended 
his  hand. 

"  God  shall  smite  thee,  thou  whited-wall,  thou  Jeze- 


LOLLIA  SPEAKETH  HER  MIND         285 

bel,"  he  cried  loudly.  "  How  darest  thou  raise  thy 
soiled  hand  against  the  Lord's  anointed?  Go  and  be 
silent !  " 

"  I  go,"  said  Lollia,  turning  away  and  striving  des- 
perately to  conceal  her  sudden  terr6r  at  the  strange 
wrath  of  this  old  man  who  towered  above  her  like  an' 
ancient  prophet.  "  I  have  left  my  mark  on  the  Jew's 
face  and  on  thine,  soldier,  and  I  trust  I  may  never  see 
his  countenance  again  or  thine,"  she  continued,  striving 
to  regain  her  lost  ascendancy. 

"  I  forgot  myself.  I  was  wrong  to  be  angry.  The 
God  whom  I  serve  bless  thee,  woman,"  said  Paulus  most 
contritely  and  gently,  "  and  grow  within  thee  a  clean 
heart  and  a  right  spirit.  Thou  knowest  not  what  thou 
hast  done.  Forgive  my  bitter  words,  and  go  in  peace." 

But  without  a  word  the  shaken  Lollia  turned  away 
and  rushed  angrily  down  the  room  and  out  of  the  door, 
followed  by  her  slaves.  There  had  been  something  so 
terrible  in  the  sudden  fierce  blaze  of  the  Hebrew's  anger 
that  she  could  scarcely  sustain  it.  Attilius  lifted  his 
hand,  drew  off  his  helmet,  and  brushed  the  cold  sweat 
from  his  brow  as  he  looked  wonderingly  at  his  com- 
panion. 

"  I  forgot  myself.  I  have  sinned.  How  often  doth 
this  evil  spirit  in  me  get  the  mastery  of  me,"  began 
Paulus  in  deep  contrition.  "  O  wretched  man  that  I 
am !  Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
death?" 

"  It  was  nobly  done,"  answered  Attilius. 

"Dost  thou  fear  that  woman?"  asked  the  apostle, 
shaking  his  head  in  disclaim  of  his  keeper's  praise. 


286    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  I  fear  her  not.  She  may  tell  the  Emperor^  what 
she  will.  I  am  alive  by  his  command  and  at  Gwenna's 
entreaty  to  me  and  because  I  would  not  cause  innocent 
blood  to  follow  mine.  If  he  condemn  me  to  die,  I 
shall " 

"  She  will  not  speak  to  Caesar." 

"  You  know  her  not,  worthy  Paulus,"  said  Caius  At- 
tilius ;  "  she  fancieth  herself  scorned,  and  she  is  not  far 
wrong  in  her  imagining.  You  know  it  hath  been  said, 
hell  hath  no  fury  like  a  woman  scorned." 

"  Nevertheless,  she  will  not  speak  to  Caesar ;  I  am  old, 
in  humble  circumstances,  a  prisoner,  but  Aliturus " 

"The  Jewish  dancer?" 

"  The  same.  Well,  he  hath  often  consulted  with  me. 
He  hath  told  me  of  this  Lollia,  among  other  things  that 
happen  at  court." 

"And  didst  thou  threaten  her?  " 

"  Nay,"  said  Paulus,  "  I  simply  told  her  what  I 
knew  and  begged  that  she  would  leave  thee  to  thy  fate. 
There  was  punishment  enough  in  that." 

"  Aye,  and  degradation.  Let  her  speak  and  let  Nero 
kill  me.  I  suppose  I  should  thank  thee  for  that  release 
if  he  shall  do  so,  for  to  what  but  death  have  I  to  look 
forward  now  ?  " 

"  To  Gwenna,"  said  Paulus,  smiling  at  him. 

"  Ah,  tell  me  of  her !  "  cried  Attilius. 

But  Paulus  was  not  looking  at  him.  A  sudden  change 
came  over  his  white  face,  his  jaw  fell,  his  eyes  dilated, 
his  fingers  expanded  for  a  moment,  a  low,  awful  cry 
broke  from  his  lips,  then  his  jaws  snapped  like  a  trap 
and  ground  together,  his  hands  clenched,  his  eyes  rolled 


LOLLIA  SPEAKETH  HER  MIND         287 

upwards.  A  fleck  of  white  foam  fell  from  his  lips  upon 
his  grey  beard.  His  face  became  engorged  with  blood. 
He  collapsed  suddenly,  crashing  down  upon  the  floor, 
where  he  lay  convulsed,  thrusting  and  wallowing ;  sense, 
sensibility,  intellect  gone,  rolling  like  a  beast  at  the 
feet  of  the  tribune. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  STROKE  AND  THE  SPURNING 

ATTILIUS  stared  at  Paulus  in  horror,  the  sound  of  that 
awful  crying  almost  freezing  the  blood  in  his  veins.  It 
chanced  that  he  had  never  before  seen  a  man  so  stricken 
and  yet  he  recognised  the  nature  of  the  attack  at  once. 
He  was  as  brave  a  man  as  ever  faced  an  enemy.  He 
was  as  sceptical  about  the  existence  of  the  gods  as  any 
Roman  of  his  time,  yet  in  his  heart,  as  in  the  hearts 
of  all,  lingered  a  belief  in  omens,  malign  spells  cast  by 
evil  spirits,  indicated  by  appalling  visitations — a  final 
residuum  of  a  once  blind  faith  in  mysterious  divinities. 
The  comitial  disease,  for  so  the  Romans  characterised 
the  falling  sickness,  or  epilepsy,  because  it  stopped  even 
the  business  of  the  state  whenever  it  was  manifested, 
was  looked  upon  as  a  direct  manifestation  of  the  wrath 
of  the  gods,  as  indicative  that  the  sufferer  from  it 
was  under  the  ban  of  their  displeasure,  and  that  some 
evil  fate  pursued  him  and  marked  him  out  in  the  fright- 
ful way  as  an  object  of  superhuman  animosity. 

There  was  little  pity  or  tenderness  in  a  Roman  heart 
at  best,  especially  for  a  Hebrew.  Attilius  had  got  over 
the  well-nigh  universal  prejudice  against  the  Jew  as 
such,  so  far  at  least  as  Paulus  was  concerned,  because 
he  admired  him  and  respected  him;  he  even  loved  him 
in  a  way,  in  spite  of  his  nationality,  because  of  his 


THE  STROKE  AND  THE  SPURNING     289 

qualities  of  mind  and  soul,  but  when  these;  were 
in  abeyance  the  ancient  antagonism  rose  to  the  sur- 
face. 

His  feelings  toward  the  convulsed  man  at  his  feet 
were  of  horror  and  loathing,  even  of  contempt.  He 
made  not  the  slightest  effort  to  succour  him  or  to  control 
his  writhing — although  his  movements  were  frightful; 
but  he  stepped  nearer  to  him,  however,  as  if  fascinated, 
and  bent  over  him,  staring  into  that  face  usually  so 
benign,  so  composed,  even  majestic.  And  that  face 
which  was  normally  the  index  of  the  man's  soul  was  now 
twisted  awry,  hideous,  inexpressible. 

"  And  I  am  chained  to  this ! "  said  Attilius  under 
his  breath,  all  his  contempt  finding  vent  in  his 
words. 

As  he  spoke  he  thrust  the  apostle  with  his  foot,  spurn- 
ing him  as  evidence  of  his  loathing  and  his  shame. 
There  was  a  swish  of  drapery  in  the  air,  and  a  woman 
thrust  herself  between  the  tribune  and  the  prostrate 
figure.  So  violent  were  her  movements  and  so  unpre- 
pared for  her  onslaught  was  Attilius  that  he  was  almost 
thrown  off  his  balance  as  he  staggered  back. 

Drawing  from  her  head  a  cloth,  a  piece  of  silk  with 
which  her  hair  had  been  covered,  she  spread  it  over  the 
face  of  Paulus,  lifted  his  head  and  shoulders  in  her 
arms,  and  strove  to  steady  him.  She  was  the  better 
able  to  do  this  last  as  the  fierceness  of  the  attack  had 
about  spent  itself  when  she  came  in. 

Attilius  had  not  seen  her  face,  and  she  had  as  yet 
spoken  no  word,  but  as  he  stood  removed  a  little  way, 
there  was  something  strangely  familiar  about  her  figure. 


290          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

Her  heavy  hair  was  black,  her  arms,  neck,  and  cheek, 
what  he  could  see  of  them,  were  brown.  Had  it  not 
been  for  that  he  would  have  sworn 

When  the  tortured,  writhing  body  of  Paulus  had 
finally  relaxed  so  that  he  lay  quiet  in  her  arms,  the 
woman  turned  her  face  up  toward  the  tribune. 

"  I  saw  thee  spurn  him  with  thy  foot,  Roman  cow- 
ard," she  said  bitterly. 

Her  face  was  a  revelation  which  her  voice,  never 
to  be  forgot,  confirmed. 

"  Gwenna ! "  exclaimed  the  amazed  tribune,  utterly 
forgetful  of  Paulus. 

"  Attilius !  "  she  cried  in  equal  surprise,  as  she  recog- 
nised him ;  surprise  succeeded  by  horror  at  what  she 
had  seen  him  do. 

"  The  gods  be  thanked  I  have  found  thee." 

"  If  the  world  had  told  me  that  thou  wouldst  put 
that  indignity  upon  a  stricken  man  and  one  to  whom 
thou  art  so  indebted,  I  would  not  have  believed  it. 
Nothing  but  the  sight  of  mine  own  eyes  hath  convinced 
me.  I  hate  thee." 

"  The  Jew  is  cursed  of  the  gods,"  said  the  tribune. 

"  He  hath  therefore  the  more  need  to  be  befriended 
of  man." 

"  I  care  not  to  argue  with  thee  about  that,"  said 
Attilius.  Indeed,  he  did  not  think  that  he  had  done 
anything  amiss  and  he  believed  that  the  maiden's  dis- 
pleasure woulti  be  no  more  than  a  passing  whim. 
"  Thou  art  here,  thou  art  unharmed,  I  have  found 
thee.  Leave  the  old  Jew  to  himself,  he  is  quiet  now, 
his  fit  hath  passed,  and  come  to  my  arms." 


THE  STROKE  AND  THE  SPURNING 

"  Hand  me  yonder  cushion,"  said  the  girl,  pointing 
toward  a  seat  and  utterly  ignoring  his  plea. 

"  Must  I  fetch  and  carry  for  a 

"  Wilt  thou  obey  me?  "  she  cried,  as  if  she  had  been 
Caesar  himself,  and,  marvelling  at  her  fire,  Attilius  did 
her  bidding. 

She  placed  the  cushion  carefully  under  the  head  of 
the  prostrate  apostle,  composed  his  limbs,  arranged  his 
disordered  dress,  and  with  the  cloth  she  had  taken  from 
her  head  wiped  his  lips.  When  she  had  done  all  that 
she  rose  to  her  feet. 

"  Now,"  said  the  eager  tribune,  stepping  toward 
her  with  open  arms. 

But  she  in  turn  stepped  quickly  away  from  him  and 
stopped  just  beyond  the  limit  of  the  chain  which  ran 
from  the  soldier's  arm  to  that  of  the  stupefied,  prostrate 
figure,  and  there  she  faced  him,  a  look  of  scorn  and 
contempt  upon  her  face. 

"  Last  night,"  she  said,  "  I  loved  thee." 

"  And  to-day?  "  burst  out  Attilius. 

"  I  cannot  tell.  I  loved  a  Roman,  strong,  brave, 
true " 

"  And  hath  the  night  taken  away  my  strength,  or 
diminished  my  bravery,  or  made  me  a  liar?  " 

"  The  man  to  whom  I  gave  my  heart  was  gentle, 
honourable " 

"  Thou  hast  a  wondrous  imagination,"  said  Attilius 
bitterly,  "  to  ascribe  these  qualities  to  a  Roman." 

"  And  yet  thou  hadst  been  all  these  things  to  me." 

"  And  have  I  changed?  " 

"  So  it  seemeth." 


292          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"And  why?" 

"  Perhaps  with  the  uniform  of  the  legionary  thou 
hast  put  on  the  manners  thereof.  Many  soldiers  have 
been  charged  with  guarding  Paulus,  but  they  have  all 
learned,  sooner  or  later,  at  least  to  respect  the  man. 
I  marvelled,  when  I  saw  thy  sandalled  foot  thrust  at 
the  body  of  the  helpless,  unconscious  sufferer,  which 
one  could  put  upon  him  such  an  indignity,  and  my 
heart  broke  when  I  learned  who  had  done  it." 

"  And  dost  thou  care  so  much  for  this  old,  almost 
dead,  stricken  Hebrew,  that  because  I  touched  him  with 
my  foot  thou  canst  throw  over  a  love  like  mine?  " 

Attilius  would  not  say  he  was  sorry.  Indeed,  he  was 
not,  save  so  far  as  it  affected  Gwenna. 

"  I  am  afraid  to  trust  myself  to  love  like  thine," 
answered  Gwenna  coldly. 

"  And  yet  in  the  past  I  did  not  use  thee  so  ill." 

"  Thou  wert  kind  to  me  according  to  thy  lights,  more 
than  kind  perhaps,  and  I  am  grateful — 

"  But  thou  carest  more  for  him  yonder  than  for 
me?" 

"  Think  a  moment,"  said  Gwenna.  "  Had  it  not 
been  for  thine  obligation  to  him,  which  he  used  in  my 
behalf  rather  than  in  his  own,  what  had  been  my  for- 
tune? " 

"  I  had  loved  thee !  " 

"  Yes,  for  a  brief  space,  but  now  belike  I  should  be 
a  discarded  slave,  the  plaything  of  my  newest  master. 
He  saved  me,  but  not  alone  for  that  do  I  love  him  as 
my  father.  He  hath  told  me  the  truth  and  he  hath 
given  me  back  my  faith  in  God." 


THE  STROKE  AND  THE  SPURNING     293 

"  Dost  thou  believe  in  the  gods  ?  " 

"  Nay,  but  in  One  and  His  Son  Christus ;  Paulus 
hath  taught  me;  he  hath  been  prophet,  priest,  and 
father  to  me." 

"And  yet  the  punishment  of  the  stroke?  " 

"  It  may  be ;  I  cannot  tell.  I  am  unlearned  in  these 
things.  In  his  youth  he  persecuted  those  in  whom  he 
now  believeth.  He  was  stricken  down  by  a  vision  in 
the  way,  and  ever  since  that  time  when  deeply  troubled, 
or  agitated,  or  concerned,  the  falling  sickness  seizeth 
him.  So  Lucas  told  me.  Paulus  thinks  it  may  be  a 
punishment  for  his  sins  in  the  past.  He  hopes  it  may 
be  considered  in  some  degree  as  expiation  for  what  he 
was  and  what  he  did.  I  have  not  known  him  for  the 
year  or  more  which  hath  passed  since  thou  didst  take  me 
from  the  block  of  Phryx,  without  understanding  as 
much  as  a  simple  maiden  can  of  his  character.  This 
that  seizeth  him  he  calleth  his  thorn  in  the  flesh.  He  will 
be  weak  and  sick  hereafter  for  some  days,  and  when  he 
realiseth  what  hath  befallen  him,  shame  and  humiliation, 
such  as  thou  thyself  mightest  feel,  will  fill  his  heart. 
Yet  he  will  bear  it,  counting  suffering  as  honour  for 
Christus'  sake.  And  that  he  is  so  punished  for  what  he 
did  so  long  since  is  evidence  to  him  that  God  deemeth 
him  worthy  of  this  affliction.  For  he  saith,  '  Whom  the 
Lord  loveth,  He  chasteneth.'  Yes,  I  love  the  good  old 
man." 

"  And  I  am  as  nothing?  " 

"  I  will  not  say  that,"  answered  Gwenna  more  softly, 
the  quickness  of  her  resentment  and  anger  beginning  to 
die  down ;  "  thou  wert  much  to  me — yesterday." 


294    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"And  to-day?" 

"  Less." 

"  And  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell." 

"  And  to  win  thee  what  must  I  do?    Love  this  Jew?  " 

"  He  would  spurn,  as  I,  love  that  was  assumed  for  a 
purpose.  But  if  thou  couldst  honour  what  he  honour- 
eth,  if  thou  couldst  learn  what  he  teacheth,  and  believe 
in  Him  he  doth  proclaim " 

"  I  believe  in  nothing,"  said  the  tribune,  "  but  in  thy 
beauty.  Come  hither." 

He  spoke  with  the  imperiousness  of  bygone  days,  for- 
getful of  the  change  in  conditions. 

"  Thou  speakest  as  if  it  were  yesterday,"  said  the 
woman. 

"  Yesterday?  " 

"  Yesterday  I  was  slave,  to-day  free." 

The  tribune  made  a  step  toward  her.  She  did  not 
give  way  an  inch.  She  was  as  courageous  as  Lollia,  it 
seemed. 

"  Caius  Attilius,"  she  said  firmly,  as  she  saw  him 
gather  the  chain  into  his  hand  to  drag  the  prostrate 
figure  of  the  senseless  Hebrew  toward  him  to  give  him 
further  freedom  of  movement,  "  if  thou  dost  disturb 
the  sleep  of  that  good  man  by  dragging  upon  that 
chain  thou  wilt  lose  me  forever." 

"  And  was  it  for  this,"  said  the  young  man,  standing 
very  erect  and  speaking  very  quietly,  although  his  heart 
was  throbbing  furiously,-"  was  it  for  this  that  I  braved 
the  wrath  of  Caesar  and  saved  thee  from  his  drunken 
caresses  and  kept  thee  from  his  polluting  arms?  Was 


THE  STROKE  AND  THE  SPURNING     295 

it  for  this  that  I  gave  up  fortune  and  home?  Was  it 
for  this  that  I  accepted  the  degradation  of  this  service  ? 
Was  it  for  this  that  I  am  chained  to  this  wretched  old 
man  while  Rome  out  yonder  mocks  and  laughs?  Yes,  as 
thou  sayest,  thou  wert  a  slave  and  with  a  slave's  art  and 
with  a  slave's  cajoleries  thou  didst  cling  to  my  neck, 
thou  didst  press  thy  lips  upon  mine,  thou  didst  whisper 
love  words  in  my  ear,  thou  wert  ready  to  die  at  the  point 
of  my  sword  with  me,  rather  than  be  handed  over  to 
Nero.  But  now  that  thou  art  free,  thou  hast  naught 
for  me  but  scorn.  Thou  dost  seize  upon  the  foolish 
pretext  of  an  impulsive  movement  of  a  disgusted,  broken 
man  as  an  excuse.  Ye  are  all  alike.  Lollia  Claudia  was 
here  before  thee.  The  same  heart  beats  under  every 
woman's  vesture.  She  came  to  mock  me  and  insult  me. 
She  struck  me  on  the  cheek,  but  the  blow  of  her  hand, 
although  it  burned  and  burneth  still,  was  nothing  to 
the  blow  to  my  heart  and  soul  that  thou  hast  given  me. 
Thou  didst  love  me  as  a  slave  to  escape  from  thy  servi- 
tude, but  now  that  thou  art  free,  I  am  nought  to  thee 
but  a  thing  to  mock  at.  By  the  gods,  were  it  not  for 
those  brave  men  whose  lives  hang  upon  mine,  I  would 
this  instant  unsheathe  this  sword,"  he  stuck  it  a  fierce 
blow,  "  and  with  this  right  hand  run  it  through  my 
sad  heart.  But  I  must  live  a  life  deserted,  a  life  shamed, 
a  life  abandoned,  a  life  mocked,  a  life  denied  of  love, 
and  thou  mayest  look  on — free !  " 

"  Lord,"  said  the  woman,  stepping  toward  him,  the 
angry  colour  faded  out  of  her  cheek,  her  bosom  heav- 
ing; she  had  made  several  efforts  to  interrupt  him  as 
he  had  spoken,  but  he  would  not  permit  it. 


296    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Back,"  said  Attilius,  thrusting  her  away ;  "  as  thou 
saidst  a  moment  since,  I  am  at  the  limit  of  my  tether, 
both  of  this  chain  and  my  temper.  Why  shouldst 
thou  care  for  me  now  that  I  am  broken  in  fame  and 
fortune?  There  are  other  men,  there  is  even  Nero. 
Shall  I  whisper  to  him  where  thou  art  hidden?  " 

"  Forgive  me,"  said  Gwenna,  quailing  before  the  fierce 
passion  of  his  face  and  bearing. 

"  Forgiveness  ?  I  am  a  Roman ;  that  is  for  thyself 
and  the  Jew  yonder." 

"  Nay." 

"  Trouble  me  no  longer.  I  am  on  duty  and  would 
fain  not  speak  with  one  who  changeth  her  heart  as 
easily  as  she  changeth  her  complexion.  If  there  are 
women  within  or  if  Lucas  can  be  found,  he  is  a  physician, 
bid  him  be  summoned.  The  man  needeth  care.  It  is  not 
my  place  to  give  it  to  him.  I  am  here  to  guard  him 
and  do  thou  go." 

"  Where  wouldst  thou  that  I  should  go,  lord?  " 

"  Anywhere,  so  it  be  out  of  my  sight.  Perhaps  to  the 
lady  Lollia.  Thou  mayest  find  her  in  a  congenial  mood 
— f reedwoman !  " 

Without  another  word  poor  Gwenna  turned  on  her 
heel  and  left  the  chamber.  Attilius  stepped  back  to 
the  prostrate  body  of  Paulus,  which  happened  to  be 
lying  near  the  wall,  walked  to  the  window,  threw  open 
the  casement,  leaned  his  head  on  his  hand,  and  stared 
out  over  the  city  which  he  had  entered  so  short  a  time 
before,  filled  with  so  much  joy  of  life;  the  city  where 
he  had  hoped,  dreamed,  loved,  and  lost. 

Rebekah  came  presently,  and  after  a  little  space,  the 


THE  STROKE  AND  THE  SPURNING     297 

boy  Isaac  having  been  despatched  for  Lucas,  he  came 
also.  They  did  what  they  could  for  Paulus,  Attilius 
never  heeding.  When  they  had  all  withdrawn  save 
Lucas,  who  watched  by  the  couch  upon  which  they  had 
laid  his  master  and  friend,  the  Greek  physician  and 
the  tribune  had  some  converse  together.  Lucas  told 
the  Roman  how  dreadful  was  the  affliction  under  which 
Paulus  suffered,  how  it  came  upon  him  without  warning 
at  the  most  inopportune  times.  On  occasion  he  might 
be  preaching  the  Gospel  to  incredulous  and  unfriendly 
audiences,  only  to  be  stricken  down  amid  mocking 
laughter  and  contempt,  and  how  in  spite  of  that  which 
would  have  sent  a  less  heroic  man  into  retirement  he 
toiled  on  and  on. 

"  It  seemeth  to  me,"  said  the  Greek,  "  that  God  hath 
chosen  the  weak  things  of  this  world  to  confound  the 
mighty,  for  never  hath  Paulus  faltered.  To-morrow, 
weak,  nervous,  sick,  thou  wilt  yet  see  him,  so  far  as  his 
tether  permits,  working  about  the  mighty  business  of 
his  Father.  Thou  art  a  young  man  and  a  strong. 
Thou  wouldst  be  amazed  if  thou  couldst  know  what  this 
man  hath  undergone.  There  is  scarcely  a  city  of  the 
East  in  which  he  hath  preached  his  Gospel  whose  most 
loathsome  prison  is  not  familiar  to  him.  The  stripes 
that  have  been  laid  upon  that  poor,  frail  body  are 
beyond  number.  To  look  death  in  the  face  is  a  habit 
with  him.  Five  times  to  my  knowledge  did  he  receive 
from  his  own  nation  forty  stripes  save  one,  and  three 
times  hath  he  sunk  under  the  fearful  flagellum  of  thine. 
Once  he  was  stoned.  To  that  shipwreck  which  we  under- 
went together,  two  more  must  be  added,  and  in  one  of 


298          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

them  he  was  a  night  and  a  day  in  the  deep,  sustained  by 
pieces  of  wreckage.  But  in  it  all  he  hath  preached  the 
Gospel.  I  tell  thee,  Roman,  when  I  think  of  his  jour- 
neys, some  of  which  I  have  been  humbly  permitted  to 
share,  of  his  perils  of  rivers  and  robbers,  from  his  own 
countrymen,  from  the  heathen ;  the  dangers  of  both  the 
city  and  the  wilderness,  his  watchings,  his  hunger  and 
thirst  and  cold,  and  beside  all  these  things  his  anxiety 
for  the  churches  founded  of  peoples  whom  he  hath  led 
to  Christ — who  among  you  hath  done  better  for  his 
king,  and  who  is  more  worthy  to  bear  the  high  honour 
of  Roman  citizenship  ?  " 

The  Greek  was  eloquent  in  the  story  of  Paulus,  as 
he  outlined  it,  and  his  adventures  in  Galatia,  Asia, 
Macedonia,  and  Achaia,  to  say  nothing  of  Jerusalem. 
He  told  of  Philippi,  of  Thessalonica,  of  Athens,  of 
Corinth,  of  Ephesus,  and  the  account  of  all  that  Paulus 
had  suffered  and  all  that  he  had  undergone  moved  the 
tribune  profoundly.  A  sense  of  shame  stole  over  him 
at  the  thought  of  that  half-inadvertent  thrust  of  the 
foot. 

"  He  hath  suffered  much,"  said  Attilius,  seated  op- 
posite Lucas  on  a  chair  by  the  side  of  the  couch. 

He  rose  as  he  spoke  and  looked  into  the  face  of  the 
apostle.  It  had  become  composed,  his  breathing  was 
natural  and  easy,  the  dignity  and  power  of  the  man's 
soul  had  come  back  to  him.  It  was  the  Paulus  whom 
he  had  known,  who  lay  there  now ;  but  weak,  old,  inef- 
fably weary,  the  burden  of  years,  cares,  and  experi- 
ences heavy  upon  him.  The  tribune  bent  over  him, 


THE  STROKE  AND  THE  SPURNING     299 

holding  the  chain  in  his  hand  so  that  it  might  not  clink 
and  awaken  the  sleeper. 

"  So,"  said  Lucas  gently,  "  I  have  often  seen  him 
bend  over  thee  in  the  cabin  of  the  ship  when  thou  wert 
nearly  dead,  nearer  death  than  he  is  now." 

"  Will  he  die  in  one  of  these  strange  seizures,  thinkest 
thou?" 

"  He  hopeth  not.  He  would  fain  wear  a  martyr's 
crown,  and  indeed  I  think  it  will  so  come  to  pass,  but 
not  until  he  hath  finished  his  course,  until  he  hath  fought 
his  fight,  the  fight  of  one  who  keepeth  the  faith." 

"  It  seemeth  strange  to  me,"  said  Attilius,  "  that  one 
could  be  so  brave,  that  one  could  endure  so  much,  that 
one  could  survive  such  humiliation,  for  a  mere  dream, 
for  an  ideal  founded  upon  a  vision." 

"  And  if  that  were  so,  it  would  be  strange,"  answered 
wise  old  Lucas ;  "  men  do  not  spend  themselves  nor  are 
they  spent  so  gloriously  for  dreams  and  visions.  That 
Paulus  hath  done  and  will  do  all  these  things  is  evidence 
of  the  truth  that  is  in  him.  Men  have  believed  before 
and  died  for  their  beliefs,  I  grant  thee,"  continued  the 
evangelist. 

"  Aye,  and  when  both  belief  and  believer  have  been 
in  error,"  said  Attilius. 

"  But  where  are  such  beliefs  and  believers  now?  " 
meaningly  asked  the  physician. 

"  Gone,"  admitted  the  tribune. 

"  Even  so,  for  that  which  is  not  founded  upon  truth 
cannot  prevail,  no  matter  how  magnificently  it  be  pro- 
claimed or  how  gloriously  men  give  themselves  to  attest 
it.  It  is  thirty-eight  years  since  Paulus  was  stricken 


300    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

down,  and  now  the  whole  East  is  dotted  with  temples 
where  he  hath  preached  his  God  and  where  that  God 
is  now  worshipped.  Thou  dost  not  know,  thou  dost 
not  realise,  thou  dost  not  understand  this.  Those  who 
follow  Christ  are  poor  and  humble  mainly,  only  here 
and  there  is  one  rich  or  noble  or  powerful.  But  there 
are  thousands  of  them.  They  come  from  all  sorts  and 
conditions  of  men,  and  some  day  at  the  name  of  Jesus 
every  knee  shall  bow  and  every  tongue  shall  confess 
that  Christ  is  Lord !  " 

"  Not  my  tongue  and  not  my  knee,"  said  Attilius ;  "  I 
mean  no  disrespect  to  Paulus  or  to  thee,  good  Lucas, 
but  I  cannot  see  and  I  cannot  believe." 

"Some  day,  something  says  to  me,  O  Roman,  thou 
wilt  both  see  and  believe." 


CHAPTER  XXI 

MOCKED    IN    THE    GARDEN 

CAIUS  ATTILIUS  saw  no  more  of  Gwenna  during  the  re- 
mainder of  that  day's  service.  Paulus  slept  long,  and 
when  he  awakened  Lucas  would  allow  none  to  question 
him.  Usually  men  seized  as  he  have  no  remembrance  of 
their  seizure  when  consciousness  returns,  but  Paulus 
had  been  too  often  the  victim  of  such  attacks  not  to 
realise  presently  what  had  happened  to  him  when  he 
finally  awoke  to  reason  and  life  again. 

He  was  a  proud  man,  this  Hebrew,  of  the  proudest 
and  most  ancient  lineage  of  his  tribe  and  race,  and 
although  in  the  service  of  his  Master  he  exhibited  that 
humility  which  was  so  characteristic  of  the  Christ  he 
followed,  he  was  only  human;  and  that  he  should  be 
so  afflicted  in  the  presence  of  friend  and  enemy  was 
worse  than  death  itself  to  him.  Indeed,  Paulus  was 
a  man  of  fierce  and  haughty  temper  naturally,  not 
always  controlled,  as  Lollia  Claudia  could  bear  witness. 
His  pride  comported  not  ill  with  his  Roman  citizenship, 
yet  so  extraordinary  was  his  self-repression  and  the 
high  command  he  exercised  over  himself  that  it  was 
on  rare  occasions  indeed  that  he  broke  forth  as  he  had 
upon  the  lady  Lollia  with  such  startling  results. 

With  returning  consciousness,  a  look  of  shame,  suc- 
ceeding the  first  struggle  for  recollection,  covered  the 
apostle's  face.  There  was  something  so  pitiful  and 

301 


302    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

pitiable  in  his  humiliation  that  Attilius  forbore  to  con- 
verse with  him  or  even  to  look  upon  him,  and  when 
the  old  man  lying  helpless  and  broken  upon  the  couch 
covered  his  face  with  his  hands  and  murmured  that  he 
was  crucified  with  Christ,  although  Attilius  did  not 
apprehend,  he  did  not  question.  Silence  was  best  for 
Paulus  then.  And  a  feeling  of  shame  began  to  steal 
over  the  iron-hearted  Roman  for  that  spurning  foot 
of  his.  Yet  that  growing  repentance  did  not  modify 
his  resentment,  his  bitter  anger  against  Gwenna,  who 
had  been,  according  to  her  lover's  ideas,  so  ungrateful. 

Something  in  the  tender  consideration  shown  to  one 
another  by  the  inhabitants  and  visitors  in  the  apart- 
ment was  communicated  to  the  tribune.  Some  sort  of 
leaven  was  working  in  his  mind.  A  year  before  he  would 
have  hesitated,  not  at  all  before  Jew  or  Roman,  but  now, 
although  he  had  provocation  enough  for  speech,  both  in 
what  Lucas  had  told  him  and  in  the  explanation  of  the 
presence  of  Gwenna  and  their  future  relations,  he  kept 
silent.  Yea,  like  the  Psalmist  of  whom  he  had  never 
heard,  he  refrained  even  from  good  words,  although  it 
was  pain  and  grief  to  him.  So  the  afternoon  and  night 
wore  away  at  last. 

When  the  day  broke  Paulus  aroused  himself  and  per- 
formed his  ablutions.  Like  the  high-class  Hebrew  of 
his  time,  he  was  scrupulously  clean  about  his  person,  not 
to  say  dainty,  and  although  his  vesture  was  old  and 
worn  and  plain,  it  was  spotless.  Not  even  Attilius  him- 
self was  more  careful.  Restored  to  something  of  his 
usual  self,  Paulus  greeted  the  young  tribune  pleasantly, 
but  engaged  in  no  conversation,  and  when  the  hour  of 


MOCKED  IN  THE  GARDEN  303 

relief  arrived  the  Roman  bade  him  farewell  and  went  off 
with  the  decurion  and  his  soldiers. 

The  Fates,  as  he  would  have  phrased  it,  were  cer- 
tainly against  him.  He  had  been  brought  very  low ; 
he  fancied  that  the  worst  to  which  he  could  be  exposed 
had  befallen  him.  He  was  yet  to  experience  the  further 
malice  of  Nero.  The  Emperor  had  not  forgot  him. 
By  his  personal  order  he  was  that  night  made  one  of 
the  guards  on  duty  at  a  fete  in  the  palace  gardens, 
where  but  a  few  days  before  he  had  been  a  guest  with 
all  the  privileges  and  liberties  accorded  to  the  others ; 
while  Nero  laid  aside  the  purple  and  simply  became 
the  chief  blackguard  among  his  emulators,  who,  at  his 
own  command,  treated  him  exactly,  on  such  occasions, 
as  they  treated  one  another. 

He  was  now  a  soldier,  and  although  to  bear  arms  had 
been  of  old  counted  the  highest  privilege  of  Roman 
citizenship,  Attilius  was  made  to  feel  that  he  was  little 
better  than  a  menial.  A  deliberate  effort  was  made  to 
call  attention  to  his  disgrace  and  increase  his  humilia- 
tion and  shame,  for  Nero  with  Lollia  upon  his  arm — 
Poppaea  being  similarly  occupied  elsewhere  with  one  of 
her  own  favourites — both  of  them  drunk  and  half  naked, 
paraded  up  and  down  before  the  guard,  whom  they  dis- 
cussed as  if  he  had  been  a  block  of  wood,  or  perhaps 
better,  one  of  the  unfortunate  slaves  stood  up  for  auc- 
tion. 

Taking  their  cue  from  their  master,  the  brutal  Tigel- 
linus,  the  effeminate  Senecio,  the  caustic  Vestinus,  with 
the  whole  profligate  and  abandoned  crew,  heaped  insult 
\nd  mockery  upon  him  by  insinuation,  innuendo,  and,  as 


304 

they  became  more  drunk,  by  open  and  reviling  accusa- 
tion. The  proud  soul  and  fierce  temper  of  the  Roman 
revolted.  He  stood  quietly  to  outward  seeming,  but 
within  was  on  fire  with  suppressed  pasion.  Although 
the  gardens  were  lighted,  the  means  of  illumination  were 
not  sufficient  to  make  faces  clear  in  the  dimness  of  the 
shaded  park,  else  had  the  leering,  lurching  Nero  caught 
sight  of  the  blazing  eyes  of  the  tribune  he  might  well 
have  been  afraid. 

Attilius  resolutely  determined  upon  his  course.  In 
fact,  so  soon  as  he  saw  what  they  would  be  at,  he  decided 
that  silence  was  not  only  the  safest, — truth  to  tell  he 
cared  little  about  safety! — but  the  best  course,  and  if 
he  could  endure  without  a  word  their  insults,  if  he 
could  let  them  pass  him  by  like  the  idle  wind  which 
he  respected  not,  the  very  fact  of  his  indifference  would 
give  him  the  mastery  in  the  end  and  even  up  the  score. 
But  it  was  not  an  easy  task  to  which  he  applied  himself. 
He  could  not  estimate  the  power  of  exacerbation  ex- 
hibited by  his  former  friends  nor  his  own  power  of 
resistance.  He  had  fought  in  many  battles,  he  had 
struggled  on  stricken  fields,  huddled  together  with  his 
comrades,  desperately  striking  at  hordes  of  barbarians 
when  it  seemed  that  no  valour,  no  resolution,  could  evef 
keep  them  back ;  yet  he  had  never  fought  such  a  battle 
as  he  fought  that  night. 

He  felt  the  need  of  more  than  mortal  help  for  his 
more  than  mortal  task.  When  he  could  he  cast  his  eyes 
upward.  Although  he  believed  in  no  god,  his  heart 
spoke  voicelessly,  perhaps  from  some  ancient  inheritance 
of  simpler  worship.  Finally,  at  the  climax  of  his  tor- 


MOCKED  IN  THE  GARDEN  305 

ture,  when  the  roisterers  ringed  about  him,  made  their 
comments  upon  him,  and  at  last  actually  cast  pieces  of 
gold  at  his  feet,  as  at  the  feet  of  a  player  who  had 
amused  them,  and  he  let  them  lie  in  disdain  until  the 
voice  of  Nero  hiccoughed  a  command  that  he  pick  them 
up,  the  thought  of  Paulus  and  what  he  had  whispered 
that  morning  came  to  him.  What  had  been  the  apostle's 
words ?  "I  am  crucified  with  Christ !  "  Who  was  that 
Christus  to  whom  he  prayed?  The  old  gods  in  whom  he 
did  not  believe  had  done  nothing  for  Attilius,  perhaps 
that  Christus 

He  made  no  prayer,  he  did  not  know  how  to  make 
a  prayer,  that  Roman,  but  the  thought  of  that  Christus 
and  who  He  might  be  came  into  his  mind ;  for  surely 
no  crucifixion  could  be  more  terrible  than  that  mental 
punishment  the  tribune  was  undergoing.  Even  the 
vague  thought  gave  him  some  comfort.  Paulus  was 
a  man,  what  would  he  have  done?  Attilius,  now  that 
he  had  entered  upon  his  part  as  a  soldier,  determined 
to  play  it  to  the  end.  He  saluted  Nero,  therefore,  and 
stooped  and  gathered  up  the  coin. 

"  I  thank  thee,  Cassar,  for  thy  generosity,"  he  said, 
"  and  thy  noble  friends  for  the  worthiness  with  which 
they  sustain  the  Roman  character  and  the  Roman 
fame." 

"And  hast  thou  no  word  for  me,  legionary?"  cried 
Lollia,  and  she  had  never  loved  Attilius  more  than  as 
he  stood  now  an  iron  statue,  towering  over  even  the 
Emperor,  masterful  beyond  expression,  amid  these 
drunken  Romans.  "  Hast  thou  no  word  for  me?  " 

"  Thou  hast  thy  reward,  lady,  with  him  whose  arm 


306          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

encircleth  thy  waist.  Mayest  thou  prove  worthy  of  thy 
position  and  get  out  of  it  all  that  thy  beauty  and  thy 
character  may  merit." 

"  Let  him  be  killed,"  hissed  the  woman,  upon  whom 
the  meaning  of  the  speech  was  not  lost  in  spite  of  the 
dulling  of  her  wit  by  the  wine  she  had  indulged  in  so 
freely. 

"  No,"  said  Cassar,  "  it  was  a  p-proper  speech.  I 
have  none  too  many  s-soldiers  as  p-patient  as  he.  I 
cannot  spare  him  yet.  Say  I  not  well?  " 

He  looked  around  the  circle. 

"  Well,  as  thou  dost  always  speak,"  said  Tigellinus. 

"  Silence,  b-blockhead,"  said  Nero,  "  I  want  the  opin- 
ion of  my  arbiter,  P-Pe-tronius." 

"  Divinity,"  answered  that  senator,  who  had  taken  no^ 
part  in  the  torment  of  Attilius  save  to  watch  it  with 
keen  interest  and  to  long  for  some  one  with  whom  he 
could  wager  that  the  tribune  he  admired  would  not  lose 
his  self-control,  "  Divinity,"  began  Petronius,  "  in  thy 
speech  and  in  thy  bearing  thou  art  worthy  of  the  occa- 
sion and  worthy  of  the  beautiful  Lollia  as  she  is  worthy 
of  thee." 

The  Emperor  and  his  companions  were  too  deeply 
besotted  to  catch  the  irony  in  the  arbiter's  voice  and 
manner,  but  Caius  Attilius  observed  it  and  was  glad. 

"  Tigellinus,  take  notice,"  stammered  Nero. 
"  Shouldst  thou  b-be  able  to  t-turn  c-compliments  like 
that  thou  m-mightest  aspire  to  the  p-purple — but  when 
I  am  g-gone,"  he  added  with  sudden  cold  menace. 
"  Come,  let  us  away ;  I  am  t-tired  of  this  virtuous  s-sol- 
dier.  Bid  him  begone." 


MOCKED  IN  THE  GARDEN  307 

It  was  late  indeed  when  Attilius  got  back  to  the 
barracks,  and  when  one  of  his  fellow-soldiers  questioned 
him  about  the  night,  with  a  soldier's  desire  to  hear  some 
vile  detail  of  what  had  happened,  he  turned  on  him 
with  such  fury  that  the  man,  although  one  of  the  boldest 
of  the  cohort,  subsided  into  silence  at  once. 

Attilius  was  not  popular  with  his  comrades.  Al- 
though his  rank  was  equal  to  theirs,  even  below  that 
of  the  veterans  and  under  officers,  they  could  not  forget 
that  he  was  a  noble  and  a  patrician  and  had  been  a 
tribune ;  nor  could  he  forget  it.  Indeed,  they  presently 
conspired  to  make  life  miserable  for  him,  thinking  they 
could  safely  do  so  as  he  was  under  the  disfavour  of 
their  Emperor  and  their  commander,  the  prefect ;  but 
Attilius  had  not  lost  his  prowess,  his  strength  of  mind 
and  body,  because  he  had  been  reduced  to  the  ranks, 
and  he  found  means  with  a  ready  sword  to  enforce 
respect,  or  at  least  undisturbed  solitude.  He  was  a 
man,  they  soon  found,  who  was  best  left  alone. 

The  next  day  being  free,  he  went  into  the  city  as 
soon  as  the  morning  drill  and  routine  of  the  camp  was 
over.  Of  all  his  whilom  friends,  there  was  but  one  whose 
door  would  now  be  open  to  him,  and  that  was  Regulus ; 
but  when  he  inquired  at  the  lodging  the  worthy  knight 
had  chosen,  he  was  told  that  Regulus  was  gone  from  the 
city  upon  a  journey  and  would  not  be  back  for  several 
weeks  perhaps ;  but  he  had  left  a  message  for  Attilius, 
saying  that  he  would  apprise  the  tribune  of  his  return 
immediately  he  reached  the  city  again. 

The  absence  of  Regulus  was  the  last  straw.  The 
public  places  of  Rome  had  no  attraction  for  Attilius 


308    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

now.  He  walked  aimlessly  through  the  meaner  quarters 
of  the  town,  which  in  happier  days  he  had  never  visited. 
He  had  nowhere  to  go  but  to  the  camp,  nothing  to 
do  there  unless  he  participated  in  the  ribald  talk,  the 
rough  pleasures,  and  the  deep  drinking  of  the  soldiers, 
so  he  wandered  on.  The  pretorians  were  favoured 
visitors  in  that  quarter  of  the  city,  but  there  was  some- 
thing so  stern  and  so  grim  in  his  face  that  not  even 
the  bold,  shameless  women  of  the  town  accosted  him 
as  he  passed. 

The  long  afternoon  dragged  on  without  incident,  but 
as  night  fell  something  happened.  Turning  a  corner, 
he  saw  a  group  of  beggars  and  outcasts  setting  upon 
a  single  man,  scarcely  more  than  a  boy.  They  had 
backed  their  prey  up  against  a  wall  and  were  striking 
at  him  savagely.  His  forehead  was  cut  and  blood 
streamed  down  his  face.  His  white  tunic  was  spotted 
with  filth  that  had  been  thrown  upon  him.  The  mob 
surrounded  him,  mocking  and  jeering. 

There  was  something  familiar  to  the  tribune  about 
the  boy.  Attilius  unceremoniously  burst  through  the 
wretched  crowd,  flinging  them  aside  until  he  reached 
the  lad  and  confronted  him.  He  recognised  him  at  once 
upon  a  nearer  view.  The  sufferer  was  the  Hebrew 
boy  who  had  brought  the  message  from  Paulus  which 
had  resulted  in  the  finding  of  Gwenna. 

"  What  hath  happened?  "  he  asked  sternly. 

"  Sir,  I  know  not,"  answered  the  youth,  "  save  that 
these  set  upon  me." 

"  And  wherefore,"  demanded  Attilius,  facing  the 
crowd  whose  rage  began  to  subside  at  the  sight  of  the 


MOCKED  IN  THE  GARDEN  309 

stark  soldier  of  the  guard  whose  well-known  uniform 
was  easily  recognised  even  in  the  growing  dusk. 

"  He  is  a  Jew,"  answered  one  voice,  as  if  that  were 
sufficient. 

"  Ye  have  done  enough ;  begone,"  said  the  tribune, 
and  then  as  the  crowd  made  no  movement  to  give  way, 
he  whipped  out  his  sword.  "  Shall  I  cut  a  path  for 
myself  and  the  lad  who  is  now  under  my  protection?  " 
he  asked  imperiously,  making  a  step  forward,  whereat 
they  broke  and  fled  like  the  cowards  they  were. 

"  What  is  thy  name?  "  asked  Attilius  when  the  way 
was  clear. 

"  Isaac,  son  of  Levi  and  Rebekah,  master,"  answered 
the  boy,  wiping  away  the  blood,  "  and  art  thou 

not "  he  hesitated,  looking  from  the  uniform  to  the 

face  of  the  man,  "  thou  wert " 

"  I  was  Caius  Attilius,  the  tribune,  to  whom  thou 
didst  once  bring  a  gracious  message " 

"But  now?" 

"  I  am  a  soldier,"  returned  the  other  briefly. 
"Whither  goest  thou?" 

The  boy  hesitated. 

"Thou  art  a  friend  of  Paulus?"  he  asked  as  he 
made  a  quick  movement  in  the  air  with  his  hand. 

"  I  know  that  sign,"  answered  Attilius,  "  and  I  am 
a  friend  of  that  worthy  Hebrew." 

"  I  go  to  a  meeting  of  the  Christians,  noble  sir," 
answered  the  boy,  reassured  that  it  was  safe  to  make 
such  a  revelation. 

The  idea  struck  Attilius.  Why  should  not  he  go 
with  the  boy?  He  was  interested  in  these  Christians. 


310          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

Gwenna  was  a  Christian.  Time  hung  heavy  upon  his 
hands.  He  had  no  place  else  to  go,  nothing  to  do. 
Why  not? 

"  I  will  accompany  thee  on  thy  way,  lest  these  should 
assail  thee  again,"  he  said,  making  up  his  mind 
promptly. 

The  boy  hesitated  again.  He  was  still  somewhat 
doubtful. 

"  None  know  the  meeting  place  but  those  who  be- 
lieve," he  said  at  last. 

Attilius  nodded. 

"  I  believe  not,"  he  said,  "  but  I  will  not  betray  thee 
or  thy  friends.  Lead  on." 

There  was  something  in  the  bearing  of  the  man  which 
added  emphasis  to  his  words.  Isaac,  son  of  Levi  and 
Rebekah,  was  not  without  a  large  share  of  the  shrewd- 
ness of  his  race.  He  decided  in  favour  of  the  tribune. 

"  Thou  hast  befriended  me,"  said  the  young  Hebrew 
at  last,  "  and  I  trust  thee.  There  lieth  our  way." 


CHAPTER  XXII 

HUSKS    OF    THE    SWINE 

IN  the  rapidly  darkening  night  the  two  walked  along 
the  streets  side  by  side.  Isaac,  the  son  of  Levi  and 
Rebekah,  knew  his  way  perfectly,  and  although  he 
plunged  from  one  alley  and  by-street  into  another,  and 
finally  struck  boldly  across  the  fields,  he  presently  ar- 
rived at  an  ancient  sand  pit  without  the  walls.  The 
spot  was  deserted.  It  was  removed  from  the  highway 
and  trees  on  one  side  and  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  build- 
ing on  the  other  concealed  it  from  the  possible  observa- 
tion of  a  belated  traveller  on  the  distant  road.  The 
moon  just  rising  cast  a  faint  light  into  the  little 
amphitheatre. 

There  were  perhaps  four  score  persons  assembled 
there,  all  of  them  of  the  meaner  sort  apparently.  They 
were  grouped  in  a  little  circle,  some  sitting,  some 
standing,  about  an  old  man  who  was  talking  to  them. 
The  faint  rays  of  the  moon  gave  light  enough  and  no 
torches  or  lanterns  were  visible. 

"And  who  are  these?"  asked  Attilius. 

They  had  stopped  in  the  shadow  of  the  trees  and 
were  yet  unseen  and  unheard. 

"  This  is  the  end  of  my  journey,"  whispered  the  boy, 
"  and  these  are  Christians.  We  meet  here  for  worship 
and  instruction.  He  in  the  midst  is  the  priest." 

"  And  how  is  he  called  ?  " 
311 


312          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Linus." 

"  And  who  are  those  around  him?  " 

"  Slaves,  freedmen,  women,  and  children." 

"  And  of  what  race?  " 

"  Of  all,  Romans,  Greeks,  Hebrews,  Barbarians." 

"  And  are  they  all  followers  of  that  Christus  ?  " 

"  All ;  none  come  here  except  those  who  love  Him." 

"  But  I  am  here,"  answered  Attilius. 

"  Of  thy  mercy,"  returned  the  boy  gratefully,  "  and 
for  my  safety.  I  thank  thee.  I  trust  thee.  Farewell." 

"  Farewell,"  said  Attilius,  turning  away,  not  espe- 
cially attracted  by  what  he  saw  to  a  closer  acquaintance 
with  the  assemblage. 

But  something  stopped  him.  Why  not?  he  asked  of 
himself  again.  The  Romans  had  abandoned  him,  the 
Emperor  had  degraded  him,  the  world  had  mocked  him, 
Gwenna  had  failed  him.  He  did  not  see  what  end  there 
was  to  all  this  shame.  They  were  all  slaves  and  poor 
people  there,  doubtless ;  Barbarians  and  Jews  and 
Greeks  and — but  Paulus  was  a  man.  Caius  Attilius 
remembered  what  Lucas  had  told  him ;  Paulus  believed 
and  Gwenna.  There  was  nothing  else  before  him. 
In  despair,  in  weariness,  in  humiliation,  he  turned 
back. 

"  I  will  go  with  thee,"  he  said  to  the  lad  who  had 
watched  him. 

But  the  proposition  affrighted  the  boy. 

"Art  thoua  Christian?" 

"  Nay." 

"  Dost  them  seek " 

"  I  seek  nothing,  but  I  will  go  with  thee.     Come." 


HUSKS  OF  THE  SWINE  313 

He  seized  the  unwilling  boy  by  the  arm  and  stepped 
forward. 

But  the  lad  struggled. 

"  Thou  wouldst  affright  them,"  he  whispered  hur- 
riedly and  in  terror.  "  They  do  not  know  thee ;  they 
will  think  thou  art  a  spy  of  the  Emperor;  they  will 
flee.  Thou  must  not  go." 

"And  do  even  these  reject  me!"  thought  Attilius 
bitterly,  as  he  faced  the  boy;  but  the  thought  only 
increased  his  determination. 

"  Go  thou,  then,  and  tell  them  that  a  poor  soldier  of 
the  guard  would  fain  join  them.  Thou  knowest  what 
I  was.  Pledge  them  mine  honour  that  I  will  not  betray 
them ;  I  mean  them  well.  If  Paulus  were  here  he  would 
vouch  for  me.  Thou  knowest  he  is  my  friend." 

"  I  will  go,"  said  the  boy,  "  and  do  what  I  can." 

"  Farewell.     I  will  await  thee." 

Attilius  from  the  shadows  closely  observed  all  that 
happened.  The  lad  made  his  way  through  the  group 
of  people  and  stopped  before  the  man  who  stood  in  the 
midst  of  them.  He  spoke  and  the  others  listened.  The 
tribune  saw  the  man  bend  to  the  lad,  and  after  a  little 
conversation  he  spoke  to  the  assemblage  in  turn.  What 
he  said  was  not  audible  at  that  distance,  but  the  tribune 
could  catch  indistinctly  what  he  recognised  as  a  murmur 
of  surprise  not  unmixed  with  alarm.  In  the  dim  light 
he  saw  two  persons  rise  from  the  circle  and  approach 
the  centre.  The  three  conversed  together  earnestly  for 
a  moment  while  all  the  rest  got  to  their  feet  and  stared 
in  the  direction  whence  Isaac  had  come.  The  circle 
opened  presently  and  the  three  who  had  spoken  came 


314          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

toward  him.  Attilius  stepped  out  of  the  shadow  into 
the  moonlight,  and  the  leader  of  the  three,  a  venerable 
old  man  with  a  long  white  beard,  stopped  in  front  of 
him  and  made  the  sign  of  a  cross  with  his  hand. 

"  Greeting,  soldier !  Whether  thou  comest  in  peace 
or  to  betray,  the  followers  of  Christ  bid  thee  welcome," 
he  said  softly. 

"  I  come  in  peace,  venerable  father,"  returned  the 
tribune ;  "  my  word  upon  it." 

"  The  simple  statement  of  the  noble  Caius  Attilius 
sufficeth,"  said  the  second  of  the  newcomers ;  "  I  vouch 
for  him  with  my  life." 

"  Master,"  exclaimed  the  third,  a  woman,  "  dost  thou 
not  recognise  us  ?  " 

"  Eurotas,  my  philosopher,  and  Lais,  my  foster- 
mother  ! "  exclaimed  the  newcomer.  "  Are  ye  also 
among  the  followers  of  Christ?  " 

"  Led  by  British  Gwenna,  we  have  so  become,  praised 
be  God,"  answered  the  philosopher. 

"  Come,  then,"  said  Linus,  the  first  speaker,  extend- 
ing his  hand  simply,  and  the  four  turned  and  walked 
down  into  the  little  amphitheatre.  "  The  soldier 
cometh  in  peace,  dearly  beloved  friends  and  brethren," 
continued  Linus  as  he  passed  through  the  others.  "  He 
is  vouched  for  by  Eurotas  and  Lais  and  young  Isaac 
here." 

"  Thou  art  welcome  in  Christ's  name,  friend,"  said 
some  of  the  elders  among  the  congregation. 

"  Let  us  continue  our  worship,"  said  Linus,  stand- 
ing in  the  centre  as  before,  while  the  others  disposed 
themselves,  reclining,  standing,  or  sitting,  in  accordance 


HUSKS  OF  THE  SWINE  315 

with  their  fancy.  As  became  his  position,  the  tribune 
remained  on  his  feet  on  the  outer  edge  of  the  circle. 
The  moonlight  sparkled  softly  on  the  silver  bosses  of 
his  armour,  making  him  an  utterly  alien  figure  in  that 
shrouded,  grey,  silent  multitude. 

"  Dearly  beloved,"  resumed  Linus,  "  a  moment  since 
I  began  to  tell  you  a  story  told  by  the  Master  which 
I  had  from  the  lips  of  Lucas.  Dost  thou  know  the 
learned  Lucas,  soldier? "  he  asked  suddenly  of  the 
tribune. 

"  I  know  him,"  answered  Attilius.  "  A  physician,  a 
friend  of  Paulus,  who  is  a  prisoner." 

"  He  told  it  to  me  not  only  by  word  of  mouth,  but 
he  hath  written  it  down  as  part  of  that  life  of  the 
Blessed  Jesus  who  was  crucified  and  rose  again  from  the 
dead,  which  he  is  preparing  for  the  use  of  us  all.  I 
copied  it  a  few  days  since  for  this  meeting.  Mine  eyes 
are  dim.  If  one  would  hold  the  lantern,  thou  Cletus, 
I  will  read  it  to  you  all." 

There  were  lighted  lanterns  in  the  crowd,  but  cov- 
ered mostly  with  cloaks  and  other  garments.  Cletus, 
one  of  the  elders  of  the  little  church,  though  a  younger 
man  than  the  leader,  took  a  lantern  that  was  proffered 
and  stood  by  the  side  of  Linus,  holding  it  so  that  the 
light  fell  upon  the  scroll. 

Never  would  Attilius  forget  that  scene.  The  little 
circle  of  worshippers  on  the  grey  slopes  of  the  sand  pit, 
the  old  ruin,  a  deserted  temple  of  other  gods  he 
thought,  in  the  background,  the  soft  mellow  light  of 
the  rising  moon,  the  long,  dark  shadows,  the  faint 
gleam  from  the  lantern  falling  upon  the  parchment 


316 

which  trembled  in  the  hands  of  Linus ;  the  face  of  the 
reader,  the  accompaniment  of  the  night  wind  through 
the  trees  on  the  further  side,  the  deep  breathing  of 
the  spectators,  crowding  close,  listening  for  the  first 
time  to  an  immortal  story  as  it  fell  from  the  lips  of 
Linus,  who  read  it  tenderly  and  with  deep  feeling. 

"  A  certain  man  had  two  sons,  and  the  younger  of 
them  said  to  his  father,  *  Father,  give  me  the  portion 
of  goods  that  falleth  to  me.'  And  he  divided  unto  them 
his  living.  And  not  many  days  after  the  younger  son 
gathered  all  together  and  took  his  journey  into  a  far 
country,  and  there  wasted  his  substance  with  riotous 
living. 

"  And  when  he  had  spent  all,  there  arose  a  mighty 
famine  in  that  land,  and  he  began  to  be  in  want.  And 
he  went  and  joined  himself  to  a  citizen  of  that  country ; 
and  he  sent  him  into  his  fields  to  feed  swine.  And  he 
would  fain  have  filled  his  belly  with  the  husks  that  the 
swine  did  eat ;  and  no  man  gave  unto  him.  And  when 
he  came  to  himself  he  said,  '  How  many  hired  servants 
of  my  father's  have  bread  enough  and  to  spare,  and 
I  perish  with  hunger !  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father, 
and  will  say  unto  him,  "  Father,  I  have  sinned  against 
heaven  and  before  thee,  and  I  am  no  more  worthy  to  be 
called  thy  son;  make  me  as  one  of  thy  hired 
servants."  '  And  he  arose  and  came  to  his  father. 

"  But  when  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off,  his  father 
saw  him,  and  had  compassion,  and  ran  and  fell  on  his 
neck  and  kissed  him.  And  the  son  said  unto  him, 
1  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven  and  in  thy 
sight,  -and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son.' 


HUSKS  OF  THE  SWINE  317 

And  the  father  said  to  his  servants,  *  Bring  forth  the 
best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him;  and  put  a  ring  on  his 
hand  and  shoes  on  his  feet ;  and  bring  hither  the  fatted 
calf,  and  kill  it,  and  let  us  eat  and  be  merry.  For  this 
my  son  was  dead  and  is  alive  again ;  he  was  lost  and  is 
found.'  " 

The  voice  of  the  reader  ceased  amid  the  deep  silence 
of  the  people,  a  silence  no  one  cared  to  break,  it  seemed. 

"Is  that  all?"  finally  questioned  one  of  the  older 
women. 

"  There  is  more  to  the  story,"  answered  Linus.  "  I 
will  copy  it  and  read  it  to  you  another  time;  but  it 
groweth  late,  the  slaves  must  return  to  their  masters." 

"  What  meaneth  the  Master  by  this  story?  Tell  us, 
I  pray  thee,  before  we  part,"  asked  another  of  the 
humbler  sort  among  the  congregation. 

"  I  am  unworthy  to  interpret  the  mind  of  Christ," 
said  Linus  humbly,  "  but  the  meaning  of  this  is  so 
plain  that  I  shall  even  try.  It  maketh  no  difference 
how  far  we  wander  from  our  Father's  house,  what  we 
have  done,  how  deep  we  have  drained  the  cup  of  shame, 
into  what  sins  we  may  have  plunged,  what  husks  of 
the  swine  we  have  eaten,  the  Father  waiteth  for  us. 
Christ  Jesus,  Who  lived  here  among  us,  Who  was  poor 
as  we  are  poor,  Who  was  humble  as  we  are  humble, 
Who  suffered  more  than  any  of  us  have  suffered,  hath 
told  Him  about  us.  When  we  turn  and  repent  and 
come  back  we  shall  find  our  Father  waiting  for  us  at 
the  end  of  the  road.  In  one  of  the  many  mansions 
our  room  is  always  ready.  If  we  will  only  turn  back 
our  welcome  is  certain." 


318          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  The  Lord  herein  speaks  of  mercy  and  lovingkind- 
ness  and  pity  and  forgiveness?"  added  Cletus. 

"What  saith  the  ancient  prophet  of  my  people?" 
exclaimed  Levi,  a  venerable  Hebrew,  the  husband  of 
Rebekah  whose  boy  Isaac  had  brought  the  tribune  there, 
" '  Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as 
white  as  snow;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they 
shall  be  as  wool.' ' 

"  Washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  that  was  slain," 
cried  a  woman's  voice. 

After  another  pause  the  whole  assemblage  spontane- 
ously broke  into  a  hymn  of  praise.  They  sang  softly 
and  in  unison.  Attilius  listened  like  one  in  a  dream. 
He  had  heard  the  chants  of  worshippers  of  strange 
gods  all  over  the  world,  but  never  a  hymn  like  that. 
It  moved  him  strangely.  And  the  story  too.  Had  it 
really  happened?  Was  there  truth  in  this  worship? 
Could  there  be  such  a  God?  If  he  could  judge,  these 
people  themselves  believed  it,  and  yet 

The  hymn  died  away  and  in  the  silence  Linus  spread 
out  his  arms  and  bowed  his  head.  Some  of  those  who 
were  present  rose  to  their  feet,  most  fell  upon  their 
knees.  With  those  standing  the  tribune  bowed  his  head 
— he  who  was  accustomed  to  carry  it  so  high — while  the 
old  man  prayed.  Attilius  had  heard  many  prayers, 
but  never  petition  like  this  for  clean  hearts,  for  pure 
lives,  for  high  courage,  for  endurance,  for  love,  for 
the  forgiveness  of  sins,  for  mercy  to  enemies  and  to 
themselves ;  for  their  brethren,  for  the  other  Christians 
in  the  world,  for  Rome  itself  and  that  world! 

A  musical  Hebrew  word,  the  meaning  of  which  At- 


HUSKS  OF  THE  SWINE  319 

tilius  did  not  know,  was  breathed  from  lip  to  lip  as 
the  voice  of  the  priest  died  away. 

In  the  silence  the  tribune  lifted  his  head.  He  saw 
in  the  moonlight  the  hand  of  the  priest  was  raised  high. 
His  fingers  cut  the  air  in  the  sign  of  the  cross — not 
a  fish  this  time.  The  tribune  watched  in  wonderment. 
That  brand  of  shame  was  evidently  their  badge  of 
honour.  He  heard  these  mysterious  words  also: 

"  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love 
of  God,  and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be  with 
us  all  evermore." 

That  was  evidently  the  end  of  the  ceremony.  The 
others  waited  in  silence,  but  Attilius  could  stand  no 
more.  He  threw  his  cloak  about  him  and  vanished  in 
the  darkness.  After  a  space  one  who  had  been  near 
the  tribune  looked  to  another. 

"  The  soldier,"  he  exclaimed,  "  where  is  he?  " 

"  He  stood  by  my  side,"  answered  another.  "  After 
the  blessing,  he  wrapped  his  cloak  about  him  and  dis- 
appeared." 

"  Will  he  betray  us  ?  "  asked  a  third  nervously. 

"  I  will  stake  my  life  upon  his  honour,"  answered 
Eurotas. 

"  He  is  a  true  man,"  said  old  Lais  confidently. 

"  Go  in  peace,  brethren,  severally  and  on  your  sep- 
arate ways,  and  may  God  be  with  you,"  said  Linus, 
himself  turning  away.  "  That  soldier  will  not  betray 
us,"  he  added  in  serene  confidence. 

Attilius  desired  speech  with  no  man.  He  plunged 
across  the  sand  until  he  found  the  road,  and  then 
shaking  out  his  cloak  he  walked  silently  down  the  way. 


320    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

That  was  a  strange  story  that  Christus  had  told,  that 
Lucas  had  written  down,  that  Linus  had  copied  and 
read.  A  young  man  plunged  into  the  depths  of 
humiliation  and  shame  eating  the  husks  of  the 
swine?  The  Roman  took  off  his  helmet  and  bared 
his  head  to  the  night  breeze.  There  was  something 
in  his  own  case  that  brought  the  story  home  to  him. 
The  money  that  had  been  thrown  at  his  feet  by  the 
Emperor  and  his  companions  still  hung  in  a  little  pouch 
at  his  waist.  Husks  that  the  swine  had  given  him !  He 
reached  down  into  his  pouch  and  flung  the  coins  far 
into  the  fields. 

No  man  had  aught  for  him,  he  had  lost  everything; 
even  Gwenna  mocked  him.  What  was  that  Christus 
who  had  told  that  tale?  Could  He  hear?  That  was 
a  fond  and  foolish  dream.  There  was  no  Father  at 
the  end  of  the  only  road  he  had  left  to  travel.  Resent- 
ment swept  over  him  as  he  thought  of  all  that  had 
happened.  He  shook  with  passion  like  the  trees  along 
the  roadside  in  the  night  wind.  He  cursed  the  old  gods, 
he  mocked  the  new,  praying  that  he  might  die  out  there 
on  the  lonely  road. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

THE    U2TTEE    TO    PHILIPPI 

CAIUS  ATTILIUS  was  glad  when  the  fetter  was  locked 
upon  his  arm  and  he  found  himself  once  more  chained 
to  the  Hebrew.  His  tour  of  duty  as  the  guard  of 
Paulus  came  around  every  third  day.  He  had  slept 
sound  and  well'  the  night  before,  the  first  sleep  he  had 
had  since  his  disgrace.  When  he  had  awakened  he  had 
sought  to  laugh  away  the  things  which  had  come  into 
his  mind  as  he  walked  home  from  the  little  Christian 
assemblage;  but  the  scene,  the  words  of  the  preacher, 
the  music  of  the  hymn,  and  above  all  the  story  that 
he  had  heard  lingered  in  his  memory.  And  again  he 
was  ashamed  of  his  subsequent  passionate  outburst  upon 
the  road,  though  no  one  had  seen  it  or  heard  it.  He 
finally  gave  himself  up,  as  he  mechanically  performed 
the  morning  duties,  to  a  consideration  of  these  things 
that  he  had  heard.  He  resolved  that  he  would  speak  to 
Paulus  when  he  had  an  opportunity  about  all  that  had 
come  under  his  observation  and  the  thoughts  to  which 
his  experience  had  given  rise.  Also  he  would  find  out 
what  was  signified  by  the  sign  of  the  fish. 

There  was  something  in  the  story  of  the  prodigal 
which  especially  touched  the  tribune.  Although  the 
causes  of  his  own  downfall  were  radically  different  from 
those  set  forth  in  the  parable,  although  his  fate  by 
any  construction  was  not  so  bad  as  that  of  the  spend- 

821 


322          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

thrift  in  the  story,  yet  the  parallel  was  close  enough 
for  him  to  consider  the  account  with  sympathetic  ap- 
preciation. 

It  was  not  so  easy  for  him,  however,  to  speak  pri- 
vately with  Paulus  that  morning,  for  the  old  Hebrew 
was  very  busy  and  the  changing  of  his  guard  inter- 
rupted him  in  the  dictation  of  a  long  letter  or  rather 
the  completion  of  it.  The  young  man  Attilius  had  seen 
on  his  first  visit  to  the  apartment  when  he  had  sought 
Gwenna  was  again  at  the  table,  and  Paulus  had  been 
walking  up  and  down  so  far  as  his  tether  would  permit, 
slowly  speaking  the  words  which  the  young  man  tran- 
scribed on  the  white  parchment. 

He  greeted  Attilius  kindly,  but  when  the  under 
officer  had  withdrawn  and  they  were  alone  he  thus  ad- 
dressed him: 

"  Knowing  thine  honesty  and  thine  integrity  and  thy 
kindly  feeling  for  me,  noble  Attilius,  I  have  taken  ad- 
vantage of  it  by  appointing  this  day  as  one  in  which 
I  receive  the  brethren,  for  I  am  sure  thy  consideration 
for  me  will  make  bearable  my  bonds.  Can  I  depend 
upon  thy  discretion?  " 

"  Thou  canst,"  answered  the  tribune  promptly ;  "  I 
have  waited  anxiously  for  this  day." 

"That  thou  mightest  see  Gwenna?"  commented  the 
apostle,  smiling.  "  I  am  old,  but  I  have  not  forgot  the 
wife  of  my  youth  and  how  the  blood  burns  in  the  young 
heart." 

"  No,"  answered  Attilius  proudly ;  "  I  am  nought  to 
British  Gwenna.  Since  she  hath  been  freed  she  hath 
forgot  me." 


THE  LETTER  TO  PHILIPPI 

"  Oh  youth,  youth !  "  smiled  Paulus. 

"  She  hath  forgot  me  like  all  the  rest,"  persisted 
Attilius,  with  well-assumed  indifference. 

At  this  the  apostle  laughed  outright,  not  boisterously, 
but  with  gentleness  that  robbed  the  merriment  of  any 
sting. 

"  We  shall  see,"  he  said ;  "  meanwhile  I  am  anxious 
to  finish  this  letter.  Epaphroditus,  here,  hath  been 
very  ill  in  this  thy  Rome  and  pineth  for  his  Greek  land. 
Dost  thou  know  Philippi,  Caius  Attilius?  " 

"  I  have  been  there.  It  is  where  Caesar  won  the 
world  away  from  Brutus  and  Cassius.  There  the  Re- 
public fell." 

"  Even  so,"  answered  Paulus,  "  and  there  I  first 
preached  the  Gospel  in  Europe.  There  is  a  little  church 
there " 

"  Not  so  little  now,  beloved  teacher,"  protested 
Epaphroditus  respectfully. 

"  Great  with  love,  at  any  rate,  for  they  are  mindful 
of  their  friend  in  his  adversity,  and  out  of  their  pov- 
erty they  have  made  offerings  to  relieve  my  need  and 
have  sent  me  words  of  cheer,  and  although  since  my 
father's  death  and  the  receipt  of  my  share  of  the  patri- 
mony I  am  not  compelled  to  manual  labour  as  I 
once " 

"  Is  it  possible,"  interrupted  Attilius,  "  that  so 
learned  and  venerable  a  man  hath  laboured  with  his 
hands  like  a  slave?  " 

"  Every  Hebrew  must  know  how  to  support  himself 
with  his  hands  in  case  of  an  emergency,"  answered 
Paulus ;  "  it  is  the  ancient  law,  and  although  I  was 


324    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

born  and  reared  in  affluence  with  no  expectation  that 
I  should  be  compelled  to  work  for  my  daily  bread,  I 
was  nevertheless  taught  a  trade." 

"  And  that  was " 

"  Tent-making." 

"  Aye,"  said  the  tribune,  "  thou  art  from  Tarsus 
in  Cilicia.  And  canst  thou  weave  goat's  hair?  " 

"  Thou  shouldst  have  a  specimen  of  my  work  for 
thyself  if  I  were  free.  Seest  thou  that  old  cloak 
yonder?  " 

He  pointed  to  an  old  garment  upon  the  wall. 

"  I  see  it." 

"  I  made  that  myself  with  mine  own  hands,  and  it 
hath  served  me  many  years." 

"  It  is  old  and  worn  but  it  is  good  still,"  said  the 
tribune,  examining  it  carefully. 

"  It  will  last  my  time,"  said  the  Hebrew,  smiling. 
"  Well,  although  my  need  was  not  great,  I  accepted  the 
offerings  of  these  my  children  in  the  faith.  I  have 
many  who  come  to  me  here  in  Rome  and  I  am  glad  to 
be  able  to  help  them.  But  to  the  letter  again.  Take  up 
thy  pen,  my  son.  We  will  talk  further  when  I  have  a 
convenient  season  during  thy  charge,  Caius  Attilius ; 
meanwhile  keep  thine  ears  open  or  closed  to  what  I 
have  to  say,  in  accordance  with  thy  pleasure.  Art 
ready,  Epaphroditus  ?  " 

"  Ready,  master." 

"And  what  said  Hast?" 

"  '  And  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  under- 
standing, shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds  through 
Christ  Jesus.' " 


THE  LETTER  TO  PHILIPPI  325 

"  Ah,  yes,"  said  the  apostle,  "  that  is  a  good  place 
at  which  to  close  and  a  good  word  with  which  to  end." 

"  Wilt  thou  sign  it  now  ?  " 

"  Nay,  it  cometh  over  me  that  I  have  yet  more  to  say. 
Write  thou  as  I  speak  the  words. 

"  Finally,  brethren,  whatsoever  things  are  true, 
whatsoever  things  are  honest,  whatsoever  things  are 
just,  whatsoever  things  are  pure,  whatsoever  things  are 
lovely,  whatsoever  things  are  of  good  report;  if  there 
be  any  virtue,  and  if  there  be  any  praise,  think  on 
these  things.  Those  things,  which  ye  have  both  learned 
and  received,  and  heard  and  seen  in  me,  do:  and  the 
God  of  peace  shall  be  with  you. 

"  But  I  rejoiced  in  the  Lord  greatly,  that  now  at  the 
last  your  care  of  me  hath  flourished  again ;  wherein  ye 
were  also  careful,  but  ye  lacked  opportunity.  Not  that 
I  speak  in  respect  of  want ;  for  I  have  learned,  in  what- 
soever state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content.  I  know  both 
how  to  be  abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound :  everywhere 
and  in  all  things  I  am  instructed  both  to  be  full  and 
to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound  and  to  suffer  need.  I  can 
do  all  things  through  Christ,  which  strengtheneth  me. 
Notwithstanding  ye  have  well  done,  that  ye  did  com- 
municate with  my  affliction. 

"  Now  ye  Philippians  know  also,  that  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  gospel,  when  I  departed  from  Macedonia, 
no  church  communicated  with  me  as  concerning  giving 
and  receiving,  but  ye  only.  For  even  in  Thessalonica 
ye  sent  once  and  again  unto  my  necessity.  Not  be- 
cause I  desire  a  gift ;  but  I  desire  fruit  that  may  abound 
to  your  account.  But  I  have  all,  and  abound:  I  am 


326          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

full,  having  received  of  Epaphroditus  the  things  which 
were  sent  from  you,  an  odour  of  a  sweet  smell,  a  sacri- 
fice acceptable,  well-pleasing  to  God.  But  my  God  shall 
supply  all  your  need  according  to  his  riches  in  glory 
by  Christ  Jesus. 

"  Now  unto  God  and  our  Father  be  glory  for  ever 
and  ever.  Amen.  Salute  every  saint  in  Christ  Jesus. 
The  brethren  which  are  with  me  greet  you.  All  the 
saints  salute  you,  chiefly  they  that  are  of  Caesar's  house- 
hold. The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you 
all.  Amen." 

Paulus  had  told  Attilius  that  he  could  listen  if  he 
desired  and  indeed  the  permission  was  supereroga- 
tory, since  the  shortness  of  the  chain  rendered  it 
impossible  for  the  guard  not  to  hear  everything  that 
was  said  unless  the  speakers  addressed  each  other  in 
whispers.  But  Attilius  had  no  wish  not  to  hear;  what 
he  had  heard  the  night  before  and  what  he  constantly 
saw  while  on  duty  moved  him  to  listen.  Whenever  he 
was  with  Paulus  the  personality  of  the  man  influenced 
him  profoundly,  and  it  was  with  strained  attention  that 
he  stood  silent,  never  disturbing  the  apostle  as  he  walked 
up  and  down  between  the  tribune  and  the  secretary, 
his  thoughts  and  vision  turned  inward  apparently,  as  he 
slowly  and  deliberately  dictated  the  great  words. 

What  kind  of  a  religion  was  it  that  Paulus  so  con- 
fidently wrote  about?  Truth,  contentment,  purity,  love- 
liness, virtue! — these  did  not  agree  with  what  Attilius 
had  heard  of  the  religion  of  Christ !  How  could  a  man 
who  spoke  like  that  be  gujlty  of  the  dark  practices,  the 
Thyestean  banquets,  where  they  feasted  upon  flesh  and 


THE  LETTER  TO  PHILIPPI  327 

blood,  the  repellent  unsociability,  the  gloomy  charms 
and  superstitions,  of  which  popular  rumour  was  already 
beginning  to  accuse  them? 

As  the  Hebrew  dictated  slowly  Attilius  had  time  to 
think  on  these  things.  One  word  after  another  struck 
him.  Paulus,  the  poor  prisoner,  was  actually  proclaim- 
ing himself  contented  with  his  lot.  He  was  glad  to 
suffer!  Attilius  was  very  discontented  with  his  and 
not  at  all  induced  to  rejoicing.  Whence  did  the  Hebrew 
draw  that  power  which  was  denied  the  Roman?  Was  it 
from  that  Father  of  the  story  last  night  or  was  it  from 
that  Man  who  let  Himself  be  crucified  without  striking 
a  blow? 

And  so  the  disciple  and  the  soldier  listened  while  the 
voice  of  the  apostle  went  on  until  he  closed  the  dictation 
with  a  prayer  that  the  grace  of  that  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
might  be  with  all  those  to  whom  he  wrote  in  Philippi. 
And  Attilius,  looking  into  the  face  of  the  venerable  man 
as  he  spoke,  saw  strange  lights  within  it.  He  was  still 
pale,  still  haggard,  still  worn.  The  imprint  of  the  last 
stroke  that  he  had  sustained  a  few  days  before  was  yet 
upon  him,  although  he  looked  much  better  than  when 
the  tribune  had  seen  him  last;  but  this  was  forgot  in 
the  mysterious  power  which  seemed  to  emanate  from 
his  person. 

Attilius  was  a  highly  educated  young  Roman  and 
knew  Greek  as  well  as  he  knew  Latin.  That  word 
"  grace  "  he  understood  in  full.  It  meant  strength ; 
Paulus  was  invoking  strength.  He  was  asking  for  the 
strength  of  the  Man  who  had  been  so  weak  that  He 
had  let  Himself  be  crucified  without  resistance.  The 


328    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

mind  of  Attilius  came  back  to  that  fact  again  and  again. 
It  was  passing  strange. 

"  Master,"  said  Epaphroditus  presently,  "  it  is  fin- 
ished." 

"  Thou  hast  well  done,"  said  the  Hebrew ;  "  give  me 
thy  place  and  pen." 

He  sat  down  in  the  chair  before  the  writing  table, 
quite  unlike  the  tripod  tables  used  by  the  Romans — it 
was  one  which  some  of  his  Jewish  friends  among  the 
Christians  had  made  for  him — bent  low  over  it,  because 
in  spite  of  the  brightness  of  his  eyes  his  sight  was 
bad,  and  traced  his  own  name  in  large  heavy  letters 
across  the  foot  of  the  parchment.  Then  he  rested  his 
head  in  his  hands  in  wordless  prayer.  Doubtless, 
thought  Attilius,  that  his  gods  might  bless  the  message. 
And  when  the  ink  was  dry  he  handed  the  roll  to  the 
young  Greek  and  bade  him  start  forthwith  on  his 
journey. 

"  Hast  thou  made  every  preparation  ?  "  he  asked 
anxiously. 

"  Master,  I  have,"  answered  Epaphroditus ;  "  I  go 
by  land  with  a  company  of  travellers  from  Rome  to 
Brundisium,  thence  across  the  Adriatic  to  Amphipolis, 
and  then  by  the  Egnatian  Road  home." 

"  And  thou  hast  money  for  thy  journey?  " 

"  I  shall  work  my  way." 

"  Nay,"  said  Paulus,  going  to  a  chest  in  one  corner 
of  the  room.  "  Thou  seest  I  fear  not,"  he  smiled  up 
at  Attilius,  as  he  unlocked  and  opened  it,  "  to  show 
thee  where  I  keep  my  moneys." 

"  I  would  that  I  were  as  I  was  that  I  could  fill  thy 


THE  LETTER  TO  PHILIPPI  329 

chest  with  treasure  for  thy  needs,  Paulus,"  said  the 
tribune  earnestly. 

"  I  have  enough  for  myself  and  somewhat  to  help 
my  friends,  but  I  thank  thee,"  returned  the  Hebrew. 

He  took  several  pieces  of  gold  from  a  bag  and  pressed 
them  upon  unwilling  Epaphroditus,  who  had  meanwhile 
assumed  his  cloak  and  taken  in  his  hand  the  broad  hat 
which,  being  a  Greek,  he  wore  when  travelling. 

"  Re-enforce  my  letter  by  carrying  every  message  of 
loving  greeting  to  my  children  that  thine  heart  can  dic- 
tate or  thy  lips  frame." 

The  young  man  dropped  on  his  knees  before  the 
apostle.  He  laid  his  hands,  and  from  one  of  them  the 
chain  fell  over  the  young  man's  shoulder,  upon  the  head 
of  the  kneeling  messenger  and  invoked  upon  him  the 
blessing  of  God  and  the  companionship  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  from  that  Christus,  whom  he  loved,  that  the 
young  man  might  go  safe  and  unharmed  upon  his 
journey. 

Epaphroditus  had  scarcely  left  the  apartment  when 
visitors  came  in.  At  the  head  of  them  was  old  Linus. 
He  was  accompanied  by  three  men,  and  started  with  sur- 
prise on  beholding  Caius  Attilius. 

"  Give  me  leave,  beloved  Paulus,"  he  said,  turning 
to  the  soldier.  "  Did  I  not  see  thee  last  night  beyond 
the  walls?" 

"  I  was  there.    Have  no  fear.    I  did  not  betray  thee." 

"  Nor  will  he,"  answered  Paulus ;  and  then,  looking 
with  some  surprise  at  Attilius,  he  added,  "  Thou  didst 
not  tell  me  of  thine  attendance  upon  that  meeting !  " 

"  Bethink  thee,  Paulus,"  returned  the  tribune ;  "  the 


330          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

hours  so  far  have  been  filled  with  thine  own  concerns ; 
when  the  convenient  season  cometh  of  which  thou 
spakest " 

"  Aye,  I  remember ;  of  that  presently.  Meanwhile, 
beloved  Linus,  worthy  yoke-fellow  in  the  Gospel,  what 
wouldst  thou  of  me?  " 

"  Here  are  three  men,  one  of  them  a  tax  gatherer, 
the  other  of  the  people,  the  third ' 

"  A  fellow-soldier,"  said  Attilius ;  "  I  recognise  the 
marks  of  his  trade." 

"  Even  so,"  assented  Linus.  "  They  have  professed 
Christ.  I  baptised  them  in  the  grey  dawn  this  morning 
at  my  house.  I  have  brought  them  hither  to  be  con- 
firmed in  the  faith  by  the  laying  on  of  hands,  and  that 
they  might  receive  thy  blessing  and  words  of  counsel." 

"  Thou  hast  well  done." 

"  The  citizen  is  named  Robulus,  the  tax  gatherer 
Orontis,  and  the  soldier  Quartus." 

"  These  names  shall  be  entered  in  the  Lamb's  Book 
of  Life,"  answered  Paulus,  "  if  they  remain  faithful 
unto  death.  Suffer  me  a  moment." 

He  clapped  his  hands  and  from  within  the  apartment 
Gwenna  appeared.  Attilius  stared  at  her  now  as  he 
saw  her.  Neither  her  dyed  hair  nor  her  darkened  skin 
could  much  diminish  her  beauty  in  the  eyes  of  the 
tribune.  He  made  an  involuntary  step  in  her  direction, 
but  although  she  smiled  gently  upon  him,  he  stopped, 
drew  himself  up,  and  turned  his  back.  She  was  not  for 
him.  She  came  at  the  summons  of  Paulus  to  do  the 
Hebrew  service.  As  for  himself,  he  did  not  care. 

"  Lucas  is  doubtless  busy  with  his  writing  within," 


THE  LETTER  TO  PHILIPPI  331 

Paulus  said  to  Gwenna ;  "  of  thy  courtesy,  maiden,  I 
pray  thee  ask  him  to  come  to  me  and  bring  with  him 
the  roll  he  hath  writ  about  our  Lord,  the  first  portion 
of  it  only." 

"  I  am  glad  to  do  thy  bidding,"  answered  Gwenna, 
her  heart  thrilling  equally  with  that  of  the  tribune 
when  she  faced  him. 

Yet  she  resented  the  look  full  of  haughty  indifference 
and  his  turned  back,  and  she  was  woman  enough  to 
emphasise  the  pronoun  and  Attilius  was  man  enough  to 
feel  the  emphasis.  Presently  Lucas,  roll  in  one  hand, 
pen  in  the  other,  presented  himself. 

"  My  friend  and  fellow-servant,"  said  Paulus,  "  here 
be  Linus  with  three  who  have  been  made  children  of 
Christ  by  baptism  this  morning.  They  seek  words  of 
advice  from  me  and  I  have  sent  for  thee  and  thy  book 
that  thou  mayest  read  to  them  the  words  of  our  Master, 
to  the  people,  to  the  publican,  and  to  the  soldier  which 
these  represent.  Thou  knowest  the  portion  to  which  I 
refer?  " 

"  Well.  Give  thee  good-morning,  Attilius ;  I  am  al- 
ways glad  when  thou  art  in  attendance." 

"  Shall  I  go  or  stay?  "  asked  Gwenna. 

"  Stay,"  returned  Paulus ;  "  the  more  who  hear  the 
words  of  Christ  the  better." 

"  I  have  the  place,"  continued  Lucas. 

"  Read." 

"  '  And  the  people  asked  him,  saying,  What  shall  we 
do  then?  He  answereth  and  saith  unto  them,  He  that 
hath  two  coats,  let  him  impart  to  him  that  hath  none ; 
and  he  that  hath  meat  let  him  do  likewise.  Then  came 


332          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

also  publicans  to  be  baptised,  and  said  unto  him,  Mas- 
ter, what  shall  we  do?  And  he  said  unto  them,  Exact 
no  more  than  that  which  is  appointed  you.  And  the 
soldiers  likewise  demanded  of  him  saying,  And  what 
shall  we  do?  and  he  said  unto  them,  Do  violence  to  no 
man,  neither  accuse  any  falsely;  and  be  content  with 
your  wages.' ' 

Attilius  listened  as  before.  The  charge  to  the  soldier 
interested  him  the  most  and  yet  the  order  was  content- 
ment! Why  was  the  Man  always  preaching  content- 
ment to  the  discontented,  peace  to  the  warrior,  calm- 
ness to  the  turbulent,  kindness,  love  to  everybody 

What  sort  of  a  gospel  was  that  for  a  Roman ! 

"  And  now,  friends,"  said  Paulus  after  the  clear  voice 
of  Lucas  died  away,  "  draw  near  and  fall  upon  your 
knees.  Closer,  if  thou  wilt,  good  Caius  Attilius,"  said 
the  apostle,  looking  toward  him,  "  that  I  may  use  my 
hands  despite  our  chain." 

Indeed,  the  tribune  was  nothing  loath  to  step  for- 
ward. In  doing  so  he  had  to  pass  close  to  Gwenna. 
She  caught  him  by  the  arm  for  a  moment.  She  was 
determined  to  punish  him  for  his  indifference. 

"  Thou  wilt  not  spurn  him  with  thy  foot  to-day?  " 
she  whispered. 

The  blood  flamed  in  the  face  of  Attilius.  He  shook 
himself  free  impatiently  and  stepped  to  the  side  of 
the  apostle.  Gwenna  was  not  yet  altogether  a  Christian 
in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  Paulus,  it  would 
seem. 

And  thus  the  two  stood  together,  the  Roman  and  the 
Hebrew,  at  the  several  ends  of  the  chain.  And  which 


THE  LETTER  TO  PHILIPPI  333 

was  the  greater?  Which  was  the  master?  Which  was 
the  prisoner  and  which  was  the  guard? 

Successively  the  hands  of  Paulus  were  laid  in  con- 
firmation and  blessing  upon  the  heads  of  the  kneeling 
figures  and  the  chain  dragged  from  one  to  another, 
clinking  not  unmusically  in  harmony  with  his  prayers 
as  he  moved  before  them. 

When  the  three  had  withdrawn  a  little  space,  the 
service  being  ended,  and  Paulus  stepped  away  with 
Linus,  Attilius  divined  that  he  would  prefer  to  be  pri- 
vate and  withdrew  to  the  extreme  length  of  the  chain. 
As  Paulus  and  Linus  spoke  in  low  whispers  he  could 
not  hear  what  they  said.  He  found  himself  face  to  face 
with  Gwenna.  As  usual,  it  was  she  who  broke  the 
silence. 

"  I  am  sorry,"  she  said  in  a  low  voice,  "  that  I  spoke 
to  thee  as  I  did.  It  was  unwomanly  and  not  like  the 
teachings  of  Christus." 

"  Thou  hast  rejected  me  in  my  humiliation,  cast  me 
off  in  my  degradation,"  returned  the  Roman.  "  I  am 
too  poor  a  thing  now  for  the  Princess  Gwenna.  What 
she  cared  for  as  a  slave  is  nought  to  her  since  she  is 
free.  But  it  is  all  one  to  me,"  went  on  the  tribune 
haughtily ;  "  I  have  drained  the  cup  of  disloyalty  to  the 
dregs,  the  Fates  have  done  their  worst  for  me  in  life. 
I  await  the  stroke  that  ends  it.  Nay,  let  there  be  no 
more  speech  between  us,"  he  continued  as  Gwenna 
started  to  interrupt  him ;  and  to  give  due  emphasis  to 
his  words  he  turned  deliberately  away  and  walked  to- 
ward the  window. 

He  did  not  see  the  maiden  bury  her  face  in  her  hands 


334-          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

and  turn  half  blindly  toward  the  curtain  and  then 
vanish  from  the  room,  and  he  did  not  know  that  his  cruel 
words  more  than  repaid  her  for  everything  that  in  her 
haste  and  temper  she  had  ever  done  or  said  to  him. 

"  On  the  first  day  of  the  week  then,"  Attilius  heard 
Paulus  say,  "  which  happily  will  be  three  days  from 
to-day,  we  will  celebrate  the  Holy  Mysteries  and  break 
the  bread  for  these  new-made  children  of  Christ,  and 
for  such  others  as  thou  mayest  select,  remembering 
that  the  room  is  but  small  and  scarce  will  hold  more 
than  a  score." 

"  At  what  hour,  beloved  teacher?  "  asked  Linus. 

"  At  break  of  day,"  answered  the  Hebrew.  "  And 
so  farewell." 

Presently  the  prisoner  and  the  guard  were  left  alone. 

"  Paulus,"  began  Attilius  at  last. 

"  My  son " 

"  Tell  me  about  that  Christus  of  thine  if  it  be  a 
convenient  season." 

"  Willingly,"  answered  the  apostle.  "  Let  us  sit  here 
on  this  couch  by  the  window." 

Suiting  action  to  suggestion,  the  old  man  and  the 
young  tribune  walked  over  to  the  couch  and  sat  down, 
Paulus  leaning  easily  back  on  the  cushions,  while  At- 
tilius sat  more  straight,  as  became  a  soldier.  The 
chain  fell  to  the  floor  in  a  little  heap  between  them. 

And  there  the  Roman  listened  for  the  first  time  to 
the  story  of  the  Cross.  As  Paulus  told  it  it  seemed 
new  even  to  him.  Many  times  the  apostle  had  related 
it  to  listening  people,  but  he  never  told  it  better  than 
now.  He  had  not  been  there  himself,  he  admitted,  but 


THE  LETTER  TO  PHILIPPI  335 

he  knew  every  detail  from  the  lips  of  those  who  had,  and 
when  he  finished  it  seemed  to  Attilius  that  perhaps  there 
had  been  more  courage  and  fortitude  in  resigning  Him- 
self to  the  Cross  than  if,  which  would  have  been  the 
Roman  method,  this  Christus  had  taken  one  of  Peter's 
swords  and  died  fighting  in  the  garden. 

"What  thinkest  thou  of  Christus  now?"  asked 
Paulus  when  he  had  completed  the  account. 

"  He  seemeth  to  me  like  one  of  the  immortal  gods," 
answered  the  Roman  soberly. 

A  less  able  man  than  Paulus  would  have  caught  at 
that  proposition  for  further  discussion.  He  laid  his 
hand  gently  upon  the  other's  knee. 

"  Thou  art  on  the  way,"  he  said,  "  thy  feet  are  on 
the  road." 

"  Tell  me  more,"  asked  Attilius,  "  after  this  Christus 
died  on  the  Cross  and  was  buried,  what  then?  " 

Paulus  resisted  the  temptation.  Whenever  he  talked 
to  them  he  was  exquisite  in  his  tactful  handling  of  men. 
It  was  better  that  Attilius  should  think  of  what  he  had 
heard;  the  more  he  thought  the  better  he  would  be 
prepared  for  further  teaching,  so  Paulus  shook  his 
head. 

"  Nay,"  he  said,  "  we  have  had  enough  for  one  day 
and  the  noon  hour  approacheth.  We  will  break  bread 
together,  and  in  the  afternoon  we  will  discuss " 

"  Discuss  what?  "  asked  the  tribune. 

"  Thy  future  and  that  of  British  Gwenna,"  he  an- 
swered, smiling,  forcing  himself  to  give  the  conversation 
another  turn. 

But  Attilius  would  not  be  denied. 


336    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  I  am  no  longer  interested  in  that  scornful  maiden," 
he  asserted  ;  "  tell  me  more  of  thy  religion." 

"  Not  now,"  was  the  answer  ;  "  think  on  what  thou 
hast  heard  already." 

"But  that  sign?" 

"Of  the  Cross?" 

"  Nay,  of  the  fish." 

"  Knowest  thou  the  Greek  word  ?  " 

" 


"  Exactly.     It  signifieth  Jesus  Christ,  Son  of  God, 
Saviour.     In    Greek   the    words    are  'Irjffov?  Xpiffro?, 


TioZ,  2&)Tj?p.    Take  the  beginning  letter  of  each 
word  and  combine  them.    Dost  understand?  " 

"  I  understand,"  answered  the  tribune,  a  little  look 
of  awe  in  his  mobile  face. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

BREAKING    THE    BREAD 

THE  next  tour  of  duty  at  the  apartment  in  the  insula 
for  Caius  Attilius  began  on  the  last  day  of  the  week 
as  the  Hebrew  counted  it.  In  the  three  days  inter- 
vening he  had  once  more  got  in  touch  with  old  Regulus. 
The  latter  had  rented  a  small  but  comfortable  apart- 
ment in  an  exclusive  and  well-located  insula  patronised 
by  bachelors  of  rank  and  substance.  The  return  of  the 
worthy  knight  had  been  a  godsend  to  Attilius.  Among 
all  his  acquaintances  in  Rome  there  was  not  one  save 
Regulus  who  treated  him  with  halfway  decent  consid- 
eration, except  perhaps  Petronius,  who  knew  him  but 
slightly  and  came  in  contact  with  him  rarely.  The 
rest  took  their  cue  from  Nero  and  Tigellinus,  and 
Attilius  found  if  he  was  to  preserve  his  peace  of  mind 
he  must  avoid  them  like  a  pestilence,  so  as  not  to  give 
way  to  the  temptation  of  wholesale  murder  upon  these 
degenerate  and  disloyal  followers  of  his  sometime  friend 
and  benefactor,  the  Emperor. 

The  home  of  Regulus,  therefore,  was  a  refuge.  The 
centurion  was  surprised  to  find  Attilius  in  a  better 
mood.  He  had  thought,  as  he  hastened  back  to  Rome 
on  purpose  to  be  with  his  beloved  young  friend,  that 
the  tribune  would  by  this  time  have  been  goaded  into 
madness  by  the  insults  and  mockeries  that  Regulus 
foresaw  would  inevitably  be  heaped  upon  him.  It  was 

337 


338          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

plainly  the  intention  of  Nero  and  Tigellinus  to  drive 
him  either  into  open  rebellion  or  suicide,  and  Regulus 
would  not  have  been  surprised  to  hear  of  either 
of  these  things.  He  was  at  a  loss  to  account  for  the 
philosophical  calm,  almost  equanimity  of  the  tribune. 
It  was  incomprehensible,  nor  could  Attilius  very  well 
explain  it.  It  was  part  of  the  influence  which  had  been 
exerted  upon  him  by  Paulus,  and  the  tribune  could  not 
at  that  time  discuss  it  even  with  his  friend.  He  did, 
however,  tell  the  old  soldier  with  great  bitterness  of  the 
complete  severance  of  all  his  relations  with  Gwenna, 
whereat  Regulus  was  very  sorry ;  but  believing  that  it 
would  only  be  temporary,  did  not  bother  his  head  much 
with  the  matter. 

Regulus,  of  course,  was  busy  a  good  deal  of  the 
time.  He  was  a  man  of  some  property,  and  Attilius 
was  often  left  alone  in  the  pleasant  little  apartment 
which  he  frequented  every  moment  he  was  off  duty  and 
free.  The  young  man,  however,  had  plenty  with  which 
to  occupy  his  thoughts.  He  was  in  good  condition  for 
high  thinking,  also,  for  except  for  thought  there  was 
little  in  which  he  could  indulge  himself  in  that  crisis  in 
his  fortunes.  Of  course,  all  his  cogitations  were  not 
upon  the  subject  of  Paulus  and  his  religion.  A  good 
many  of  them,  perhaps  more  than  half,  were  upon 
British  Gwenna,  who  typified  for  him  all  that  was  selfish, 
forgetful,  and  ungrateful  in  womankind. 

If  the  relative  positions  of  these  two  had  remained 
unchanged  and  Attilius  had  not  been  bound  by  class 
ideas  and  prejudices,  or  his  promise  to  Paulus,  he  might 
have  taken  her,  even  by  marrying  her,  and  have  become 


BREAKING  THE  BREAD  339 

tired  of  her.  But  since  she  was  now  free  and  had  ap- 
parently definitely  rejected  him,  her  mere  unattain- 
ability  made  her  the  more  desirable.  The  tribune  was 
a  just  man.  He  estimated  himself  not  at  his  old  value 
but  at  his  new.  Everything  he  possessed  had  been 
given  up  either  to  the  prefect  or  to  the  Emperor,  and 
Attilius  had  nothing  but  his  meagre  pay  as  a  soldier. 
There  were  ways  by  which  the  pretorians  increased 
their  stipends,  but  to  these  petty  and  vicious  prac- 
tices Attilius  could  not  stoop.  Furthermore,  the 
tribune  had  been  compelled  to  enlist  for  a  term  of  ten 
years,  and  for  that  period  he  was  not  free  to  take  a 
wife  even  if  he  could  acquire  means  to  support  her. 

And  the  status  of  Gwenna  had  changed  as  greatly  as 
his  own.  In  her  own  country  and  among  her  own 
people  she  was  as  well  born  as  he.  Now  that  she  was 
free  opportunity  might  arise  for  her  return  to  Britain, 
and  as  the  war  there  was  practically  over  and  the 
country  pacified,  she  could  undoubtedly  obtain  some  of 
her  patrimony  again.  The  Romans  themselves,  upon 
proper  representation,  would  put  her  in  possession  of 
whatever  could  be  secured.  She  was  therefore  in  very 
different  circumstances.  She  could  go  and  come  where 
she  would  presently.  He  did  not  doubt  that  the  hunt 
for  her  would  soon  cease  and  that  Nero  would  forget 
her.  It  would  be  safe  after  a  time  for  her  to  leave 
Rome  and  go  back  to  Britain.  Paulus,  who  seemed 
to  have  a  certain  command  of  money  and  some  influ- 
ence, would  provide  the  means,  doubtless.  Meanwhile 
he,  Attilius,  would  have  to  stay  where  he  was  in  his 
galling  military  servitude. 


340    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

Of  course,  Gwenna  had  no  proprietary  rights  in 
Caius  Attilius,  but  aside  from  that  there  had  been  a 
complete  reversal  in  the  positions  of  the  two.  She  was, 
in  effect,  mistress  ;  he,  slave. 

And  Gwenna's  treatment  of  him  had  been  most  un- 
kind, he  felt ;  not  at  all  what  his  treatment  of  her  had 
been!  Well,  he  determined  to  look  at  things  philo- 
sophically and  to  dismiss  the  woman  from  his  thoughts. 
He  was  not  for  marrying  or  giving  in  marriage,  any- 
way. But  that  was  easier  said  than  done.  And  despite 
his  resolution,  he  was  most  unhappy. 

In  these  his  troubles  he  found  a  strange  consolation 
in  that  new  religion.  As  a  preliminary  to  a  complete 
understanding  of  it,  he  conceived  a  vast  respect  for  that 
Christus  as  he  learned  more  of  Him.  In  general,  to 
submit  to  wrong  or  injustice  without  even  a  protest 
or  semblance  of  resistance  appeared  cowardly  to  that 
Roman,  but  there  was,  nevertheless,  something  in  the 
method  of  that  submission  which  moved  him  profoundly. 
The  man  who  could  say  the  things  that  Paulus  re- 
peated to  the  tribune  while  He  was  being  nailed  to  the 
cross  and  on  the  cross  itself  was  certainly  not  a  coward. 
Attilius  had  not  yet  heard  the  completion  of  the  story 
of  the  Passion.  He  used  to  wonder  how  this  man  so 
degraded  had  become  so  exalted.  He  had  heard  whispers 
of  the  Resurrection,  but  this  he  dismissed  as  of  little 
moment. 

Finally  he  tried  to  tell  Regulus  something  of  what 
he  had  heard  from  Paulus.  The  old  centurion  listened 
attentively,  but  lacking  the  finer  feelings  of  the  younger 
man,  he  could  see  nothing  praiseworthy  or  especially 


BREAKING  THE  BREAD  341 

commendable  in  that  unresisting  death.  To  fight  al- 
ways, and  to  die  fighting  if  need  be,  was  the  creed  of 
the  centurion,  and  he  could  not  easily  in  his  mind  enter 
into  any  battle  in  which  the  issues  were  merely  moral 
and  in  which  the  courage  displayed  was  of  that  order 
only.  Regulus  could  not  see  much  beyond  the  length 
of  his  sword,  though  he  could  see  that  far  with  great 
clarity  and  comprehension.  The  only  impression  that 
this  new  religion  made  upon  him  was  that  it  did  in  some 
strange  way  seem  to  encourage  and  comfort  the  young 
tribune  to  whom  he  was  so  devoted,  and  for  that  he  was 
thankful,  although  he  passed  the  rest  of  it  by,  deeming 
Paulus  a  philosopher  and  a  dreamer,  and  in  neither 
capacity  esteeming  him  greatly. 

Regulus  was  often  at  court,  and  he  used  every  rea- 
sonable means  to  commend  himself  to  Nero  and  to 
ingratiate  himself  further  with  the  prefect.  He  had 
a  deep  purpose  in  view.  There  was  no  one  on  earth  for 
whom  he  greatly  cared  except  Caius  Attilius.  He  knew 
of  the  love  of  the  tribune  for  the  maiden,  and  as  he 
was  not  born  to  the  purple  himself,  the  possible  social 
objection  to  a  union  between  them  did  not  worry  him 
greatly.  And  the  difference  that  had  arisen  between 
these  two  who  loved  each  other  would  soon  be  settled, 
he  was  sure.  He  wanted  to  make  it  possible  that  At- 
tilius should  eventually  be  discharged  from  the  Pre- 
torian  Guard,  be  permitted  to  marry  Gwenna,  and  go 
where  he  would.  And  to  that  end  he  left  no  stone 
unturned  which  his  blunt  diplomacy  could  compass. 
Nero  liked  him  in  a  way  and  so  did  Tigellinus.  For  one 
thing,  Regulus  never  asked  any  favours  or  gifts  of  any 


342 

sort,  and  that  endeared  him  to  the  brutal  prefect  and 
no  less  to  the  greedy  Emperor. 

Whenever  Caius  Attilius  was  mentioned  at  court  the 
centurion  either  said  nothing  or  disguised  his  feelings, 
allowing  the  general  censure  and  mockery  to  pass  un- 
challenged, although  often  his  blood  burned  and  his 
hand  unconsciously  fell  to  his  right  side,  where  his  short 
sword  had  hung  for  so  many  years.  He  realised  that 
it  would  be  fatal  to  his  hopes  and  plans  if  any  one 
suspected  that  he  still  cherished  the  tribune,  and  for 
that  reason  Caius  Attilius  was  very  circumspect  in  his 
visits  to  Regulus,  coming  and  going  before  daybreak,  or 
after  nightfall,  or  otherwise  shrouded  in  his  military 
cloak,  to  escape  recognition. 

Caius  Attilius  was  very  glad  for  the  next  tour  of 
duty.  Paulus  was  very  busy  that  Saturday.  He  was 
writing  another  epistle  and  he  had  a  constant  succes- 
sion of  visitors.  The  tribune  felt  that  part  of  this 
present  letter,  which  was  addressed  to  the  Christians 
at  Ephesus  and  to  the  churches  of  Asia,  was  suggested 
by  his  presence  when  he  heard  Paulus,  after  looking 
hard  at  him  in  his  war  panoply,  say  near  the  close  of 
the  epistle: 

"  Wherefore  take  unto  you  the  whole  armour  of  God, 
that  ye  may  be  able  to  withstand  in  the  evil  day,  and 
having  done  all,  to  stand.  Stand  therefore,  having  your 
loins  girt  about  with  truth,  and  having  on  the  breast- 
plate of  righteousness ;  and  your  feet  shod  with  the 
preparation  of  the  gospel  of  peace.  Above  all,  taking 
the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench 
all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked.  And  take  the  helmet 


BREAKING  THE  BREAD  343 

of  salvation,  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
word  of  God : 

"  Praying  always  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in 
the  Spirit,  and  watching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance 
and  supplication  for  all  saints.  And  for  me,  that  ut- 
terance may  be  given  unto  me,  that  I  may  open  my 
mouth  boldly,  to  make  known  the  mystery  of  the  gospel, 
for  which  I  am  an  ambassador  in  bonds:  that  therein 
I  may  speak  boldly,  as  I  ought  to  speak." 

A  strange  use  for  the  arms  and  equipment  of  a 
Roman  soldier,  a  pretorian  of  the  guard,  thought  the 
highly  interested  and  somehow  strangely  pleased  young 
patrician. 

The  soldier  had  very  few  opportunities  to  converse 
privately  with  Paulus,  but  he  was  an  attentive  ob- 
server of  all  that  happened,  and  as  the  visitors  came 
on  business  connected  with  the  infant  church  and  as 
the  discussion  was  invariably  upon  the  new  religion, 
the  day  was  not  ill  spent.  And  as  the  sunshine  some- 
times breaks  through  the  clouds  on  a  dark,  lowering 
morning,  the  tribune  caught  several  passing  glimpses 
of  Gwenna.  The  girl  had  smiled  pleasantly  with  just 
a  touch  of  deprecation  at  his  frowning  face,  and  the 
action  had  brought  him  strange  comfort,  though  he 
stubbornly  made  no  return  in  kind. 

He  saw  her  in  a  new  role  that  busy  day,  for  her 
kindness  and  consideration  to  the  women  and  children 
who  made  up  part  of  the  infant  church  and  who  came 
with  the  men  to  visit  Paulus,  amazed  Attilius.  He 
had  known  her  haughty,  fiery,  impulsive,  with  a  high 
temper  not  under  very  good  control  and  disdaining 


344          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

work.  He  now  saw  her  gentle,  tender,  considerate, 
thoughtful,  busy  all  the  time  in  helping  some  one. 
What  had  transformed  her?  Was  it  Paulus?  Or 
Christus?  Sometimes  she  took  the  little  children  from 
their  mothers  into  the  inner  apartment,  whither  he 
had  no  access,  and  he  caught  the  ring  of  her  laughter 
within,  and  the  sound  was  sweet  to  him. 

Why  could  she  not  have  treated  him  with  some  of 
this  pleasant  courtesy  and  gentle  humour?  Why  could 
she  not  have  displayed  some  consideration  for  him?  It 
was  cruel  and  ruthless  for  him  to  have  spurned  the 
prostrate  apostle  in  his  weakness  and  misery.  The 
tribune  had  manfully  confessed  his  action  to  Paulus  and 
had  been  freely  forgiven.  Why  could  not  Gwenna  have 
made  some  allowances  for  him?  Well,  she  reserved  all 
her  sweetness  for  Paulus  and  his  friends.  Attilius  could 
get  along  without  it.  And  so  he  surveyed  her  with 
haughty  indifference,  and  to  her  rather  piteous  looks, 
when  she  caught  his  eye  again,  he  paid  no  attention. 

Late  in  the  afternoon,  Cletus,  one  of  the  ministers, 
or  elders,  of  the  congregation  brought  to  Paulus  a 
young  woman  and  her  child. 

"  This  is  my  daughter  Julia,"  said  Cletus,  "  this  her 
babe,  my  grandchild.  I  know  that  thou  dost  not  usually 
baptise,  leaving  that  to  us,  but  wilt  thou  in  this  in- 
stance ?  " 

"  Gladly,"  answered  Paulus,  smiling  at  the  mother 
and  the  child  she  extended  toward  him.  "  When  he 
groweth  up  to  be  a  good  man  and  a  true  like  his  grand- 
father, he  may  perhaps  think  with  pleasure  of  this 
humble  minister  who  made  him  a  member  of  Christ,  a 


BREAKING  THE  BREAD  345 

child  of  God,  and  an  inheritor  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven.  Gwenna,"  he  continued  as  the  British  girl 
made  her  appearance  in  the  doorway  with  one  of  the 
women  who  was  about  to  leave  for  her  own  poor  house, 
"  wilt  thou  and  Cletus  witness  this  sacrament  and  stand 
sponsors  for  this  child?  " 

"  Gladly,"  was  the  prompt  answer. 

"  Fetch  hither,  then,  the  bowl  of  silver  from  the  chest 
yonder.  Fill  it  with  water  and  place  it  upon  the  tripod. 
Draw  near,  I  pray  thee,  Attilius,  and  stand  there,  lest 
the  chain  strike  the  babe;  and  thou  here,  Gwenna,  and 
thou,  Cletus,  yonder.  Now,  my  daughter,  give  me  thy 
son." 

Attilius  was  profoundly  interested  in  the  ceremony 
which  followed.  He  heard  the  words  of  the  prayer,  he 
noted  the  blessing  of  the  water,  he  marked  the  cry  of 
the  child  when  Paulus,  naming  the  boy,  lifted  the  bowl 
and  poured  a  part  of  its  contents  over  the  head  of  the 
little  soldier  and  servant  of  Christ  with  the  mystic 
words  of  the  service  and  the  accompanying  ever-clink- 
ing chain.  When  all  was  over,  Paulus  returned  the 
child  to  its  grateful  mother  and  handed  the  bowl  to 
Gwenna,  bidding  her  pour  the  remaining  water  upon 
some  plants  which  grew  in  boxes  on  ledges  outside  of 
the  windows. 

"  Some  day,"  whispered  Gwenna  to  Attilius,  sum- 
moning her  courage  to  address  him  despite  the  rebuffs 
she  had  sustained,  "  I  shall  see  Paulus  baptise  thee  as 
he  hath  baptised  me." 

And  as  usual,  being  taken  by  surprise  by  the  sudden- 
ness of  this  whisper,  Attilius  could  only  stare  in  silence. 


346    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

Indeed,  he  had  no  time  to  answer,  for  she  had  scarcely 
spoken  the  words  before  she  was  out  of  reach  and 
hearing.  But  the  thought  sank  in,  the  suggestion  was 
not  without  weight.  To  be  perfectly  just  it  flashed  into 
the  mind  of  Attilius  that  such  a  ceremony  might  bring 
him  nearer  to  Gwenna;  he  would  not  have  been  human 
had  he  not  thought  of  that ;  and  yet  as  he  knew  himself 
to  be  an  honourable  man,  as  he  realised  the  earnestness 
and  sincerity  of  Paulus,  and  as  he  had  begun  to  get 
some  idea  of  the  religion,  he  knew  that  he  could  not  be 
guilty  of  seeking  the  sacrament  for  such  a  motive.  He 
must  be  convinced,  or  not  even  to  win  Gwenna  could  he 
offer  himself  in  that  way.  And  this  was  a  great  ad- 
vance. Caius  Attilius  three  months  before,  on  the  prin- 
ciple that  anything  was  fair  in  love  and  war,  which 
was  truly  a  Roman  maxim,  would  not  have  hesitated 
to  profess  anything  for  the  woman. 

Paulus  and  the  tribune  sat  together  late  into  the 
night,  talking  not  of  Gwenna,  but  once  more  of  that 
Christus,  and  for  the  first  time  the  Roman  heard  the 
great  facts  of  the  Resurrection.  The  Hebrew  stopped 
short  again  of  his  own  vision.  There  must  be  some- 
thing left  for  future  occasion. 

The  next  morning  the  apostle  rose  just  as  day  was 
breaking.  Attilius'  duty  did  not  permit  him  to  sleep, 
and  he  had  kept  his  charge  over  the  Hebrew  immersed 
in  thought.  Paulus  immediately  summoned  his  house- 
hold. There  were  several  persons  beside  Gwenna  in  his 
service  and  the  large  room  was  readily  arranged  for 
the  worship  that  was  to  take  place  at  dawn  of  day.  A 
table,  larger  and  higher  than  that  at  which  Paulus 


BREAKING  THE  BREAD  347 

wrote,  was  moved  to  one  end  of  the  apartment  and  cov- 
ered with  a  spotless  white  linen  cloth^  Upon  it  two 
lighted  candles  were  placed  and  between  them  a  plain 
wooden  cross  upon  a  pedestal.  A  cup  and  plate  of 
silver,  a  flagon  of  wine,  a  little  pitcher  of  water,  and 
bread  in  sufficiency,  all  covered  by  a  smaller,  finer  cloth 
of  sheer  white  linen,  were  made  ready. 

While  this  was  being  done  and  after  Paulus  had 
taken  his  morning  bath,  Attilius  considerately  remain- 
ing without  the  curtain  drawn  around  the  bronze  bath 
tub  until  the  ablutions  of  the  Hebrew  had  been  com- 
pleted, the  room  rapidly  filled  with  men  and  women  and 
larger  children.  There  were  perhaps  forty  of  them, 
and  as  they  had  been  selected  from  the  most  worthy  of 
the  Christians  for  this  great  honour  by  Linus,  Cletus, 
and  the  other  elders,  Attilius  surveyed  them  with  much 
interest. 

They  were  plain  people,  as  a  whole,  and  yet  he  recog- 
nised hjs  Greek  philosopher  Eurotas,  a  military  tribune 
whom  he  had  known  but  slightly,  a  knight,  and  one  or 
two  clients  of  great  families  whom  he  thought  he  had 
seen  in  the  Forum  in  attendance  upon  their  patrons. 
The  rest  of  them  were  freedmen,  or  slaves,  easily  dis- 
tinguished by  their  dress.  There  were  a  sobriety,  a 
dignity,  and  a  sweetness  in  all  their  faces  which  it  would 
not  be  easy  to  find  on  the  faces  of  any  similar  number 
of  people  gathered  at  random  from  Roman  society,  high 
or  low. 

Paulus  presently  came  forth  from  behind  the  cur- 
tain, this  time  arrayed  in  tunic  and  girdle  and  a  sleeve- 
less overgarment  like  a  Roman  paenula,  all  of  spotless 


348    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

white.  Never  had  the  holiness  of  the  man  been  so  ap- 
parent as  it  was  then.  Attilius,  who  usually  laid  aside 
most  of  his  armour  during  his  tour  of  duty,  with  some 
feeling  that  in  this  case  he  should  do  honour  to  what- 
ever was  toward  by  appearing  in  full  dress,  had  donned 
his  crested  helmet,  thrust  his  arm  through  his  shield, 
buckled  on  his  sword,  and  draped  his  cloak  of  purple, 
which  he  wore  because  he  was  of  the  imperial  guard, 
across  his  broad  shoulders. 

As  the  two  stood  together  they  made  a  striking 
and  impressive  picture.  Paulus  was  much  the  shorter 
man  and  his  dress  was  simplicity  itself,  yet  he  presented 
quite  as  tremendous  a  figure  as  did  the  pretorian  in 
purple  and  bronze  and  silver,  the  flickering  candle- 
light reflected  from  every  boss  upon  his  cuirass  or 
shield,  and  upon  the  shining  hemisphere  of  his  polished 
helm. 

"  I  would,"  whispered  the  soldier  to  the  saint,  "  that 
I  could  free  thee  from  this  chain  for  this  hour." 

"  It  mattereth  not,"  said  Paulus ;  "  I  am  glad  that 
thou  art  chained  to  me." 

This  was  a  new  version  of  the  connection  and  At- 
tilius was  sufficiently  startled  to  hear  it. 

"  What  must  I  do  to  save  thee  from  all  possible 
trouble  and  annoyance  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Nothing.  Stand  thou  there  on  that  side  of  the 
table ;  the  chain  is  long  enough  to  give  me  freedom." 

The  two  walked  up  to  the  table;  Attilius  took  his 
designated  position  close  by  Paulus,  so  that  the  apostle 
would  have  freedom  to  move  about  the  table  and  turn 
and  administer  the  bread  and  wine  to  the  kneeling 


BREAKING  THE  BREAD  349 

people.  And  the  service  began.  The  solemn  prayer  of 
access,  the  grave  exhortations,  th,e  triumphant  uplift, 
the  tremendous  words  of  consecration,  the  breaking  of 
the  bread  and  the  passing  of  it  and  the  cup  to  the  kneel- 
ing figures,  all  made  a  deep  impression  upon  the  tribune. 
He  saw  the  religion  of  Christ  at  its  earliest,  at  its 
humblest,  at  its  purest,  and  at  its  best.  And  the  sight 
was  good  to  him. 

When  all  had  communicated,  Paulus  was  moved  to 
preach  to  them.  Attilius  did  not  know,  nor  did  any 
of  those  present  except  perhaps  Linus  and  Lucas,  who 
had  assisted  Paulus  at  the  service,  that  what  the  apostle 
said  he  had  before  written  in  a  letter  to  the  Corinthians 
about  the  rising  from  the  dead.  There  was  a  widow  in 
the  little  group,  a  man  who  had  lost  his  wife,  another 
was  an  aged  slave  one  of  whose  children  had  died  under 
the  lash.  To  them  Paulus  especially  addressed  himself, 
and  Attilius  also  was  in  the  mind  of  the  great  preacher 
as  he  talked  to  them  of  Jesus  and  the  Resurrection. 
The  silence  was  broken  only  by  the  stifled  sobbing  of  the 
woman. 

Paulus  had  seated  himself  while  he  spoke,  and  the 
congregation  remained  standing.  As  he  sat  down,  At- 
tilius moved  and  stood  behind  him,  a  glorious  and 
splendid  figure.  The  rising  sun  sent  beams  through 
the  windows,  which  fell  upon  the  white-vested  apostle 
and  the  gorgeous  soldier.  The  juxtaposition  gave  rise 
to  strange  reflections  in  the  minds  of  the  thoughtful 
who  looked  and  listened. 

When  Paulus  had  concluded  he  rose  to  his  feet  and 
lifted  his  hands. 


350    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Ye  will  kneel,  beloved  brethren,"  he  said  softly, 
"  and  receive  my  blessing?  " 

Every  gesture  that  he  had  made,  when  he  broke  the 
bread,  when  he  blessed  the  cup,  when  he  had  admin- 
istered them,  had  been  made  to  the  clink  of  steel.  The 
same  chain  clinked  softly  and  wavered  to  and  fro  as 
he  held  up  his  chained  hand.  But  a  sharper  sound  was 
now  heard  above  the  rustling  of  garments  as  men  and 
women  and  children  knelt  before  the  preacher.  It  was 
the  clink  and  clatter  of  armour  upon  the  floor  of  the 
room,  the  clash  of  shield  against  breastplate;  for  how 
or  why  he  could  not  tell,  yielding  to  an  uncontrollable 
impulse,  the  soldier  knelt  with  the  rest  for  the  benedic- 
tion !  Every  one  marked  his  action,  most  of  all  Gwenna, 
who,  with  wildly  beating  heart,  knelt  nearest  of  all 
others  to  the  tribune  and  the  saint. 


BOOK  V 
THE  APPEAL  UNTO  CffiSAR 


CHAPTER  XXV 

HOW    PAULUS    SPOKE    FOR    HIMSELF 

PAULUS,  as  he  had  said,  had  long  since  had  his  primary 
hearing  and  then  his  formal  trial  before  Sophonius 
Tigellinus  and  his  colleague  Fenius  Rufus,  a  very  dif- 
ferent man,  by  the  way,  from  the  other  pretorian  pre- 
fect. Tigellinus  would  fain  have  put  off  his  final 
hearing  longer  in  the  hope  of  making  some  financial  gain 
out  of  the  delay,  but  Paulus  had  insisted  on  his  rights 
and  his  accusers  had  been  forced  to  make  out  such  a 
case  against  him  as  they  could.  The  accusations  had 
broken  down  and  the  prosecution  had  failed  lamentably, 
as  was  a  foregone  conclusion. 

In  fact,  Paulus  had  done  nothing  against  the  laws 
of  the  Empire.  The  weak  case,  as  presented  by  the 
Jews,  which  taken  in  conjunction  with  the  exonerat- 
ing report  of  Claudius  Lysias,  military  tribune  at  Jeru- 
salem, in  which  report  Antonius  Felix,  the  former  pro- 
curator, concurred ;  and  the  document  of  Porcius 
Festus,  the  present  procurator,  with  a  corresponding 
endorsement  from  Herod  Agrippa,  the  King  of  Chalcis, 
left  the  pretorian  prefects  no  option  but  to  declare 
Paulus  innocent  of  any  crime  and  set  him  free. 

Orders  to  that  effect  had  been  already  made  out, 
but  their  issue  was  delayed  because  Nero  had  heard 
about  this  Paulus  from  Lucius  Annseus  Gallic,  brother 
of  Seneca,  who  had  come  in  contact  with  him  in  much 

353 


354    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

the  same  way  as  the  other  Romans  when  he  was  pro- 
consul of  Achaia,  and  also  from  an  aged  senator,  one 
Sergius  Paulus,  who,  while  he  was  governor  of  Cyprus 
many  years  before,  had  also  met  the  famous  Hebrew. 
On  this  account  the  Emperor  greatly  desired  to  see 
and  hear  this  somewhat  notable  prisoner,  who,  although 
a  Hebrew,  had  with  his  case  occupied  the  highest  courts 
of  the  Empire  for  a  long  time  and  had  more  than  once 
nearly  precipitated  riots  in  the  ever-turbulent  province 
of  Jerusalem.  Therefore,  when  the  order  of  liberation 
was  brought  to  the  Emperor  for  his  approval,  he  with- 
held his  signature  until  he  could  see  and  examine  Paulus 
himself. 

Accordingly,  about  the  kalends  of  March,  some  two 
years  from  the  date  of  Paulus'  arrival  in  Rome,  the 
Emperor  arranged  a  public  hearing  for  the  Hebrew. 
By  public,  it  is  not  to  be  understood  that  the  hearing 
took  place  in  the  Forum,  where  such  matters  were 
usually  decided,  but  in  Nero's  palace,  admittance  to 
which  was  restricted  to  the  friends  of  Caesar,  the  of- 
ficials of  the  Empire,  and  the  women  of  the  court.  The 
previous  trial  had  been  public  and  had  been  held  in 
the  Forum,  but  as  this  was  more  in  the  nature  of  a 
hearing  to  gratify  the  curiosity  of  the  Emperor,  no 
attempt  was  made  to  admit  any  of  those  who  did  not 
have  the  right  of  entrance,  or  who  were  not  especially 
selected  by  the  Emperor. 

Paulus  was  allowed  to  bring  with  him  such  of  his 
friends  as  he  chose,  and  although  the  risk  was  great, 
Gwenna  had  insisted  upon  accompanying  him,  together 
with  Lucas,  Linus,  Cletus,  and  others  of  the  Christian 


HOW  PAULUS  SPOKE  FOR  HIMSELF     355 

church.  As  Paulus  had  not  been  technically  freed  he 
was  still  chained  to  the  arm  of  his  guard.  It  hap- 
pened, by  chance  or  providence,  that  the  day  for  the 
hearing  was  the  day  on  which  Caius  Attilius  had  charge 
of  the  prisoner. 

Early  in  the  morning  a  centurion  with  a  company  of 
pretorians  arrived  to  escort  the  prisoner.  No  appre- 
hension of  the  escape  of  Paulus  was  felt,  but  he  was 
ordered  to  present  himself  before  the  Emperor,  and  it 
was  well  that  he  should  go  in  state,  the  pretorian  prefect 
had  decided.  The  presence  of  the  century  did  not, 
however,  relieve  Attilius  of  his  guard  duty. 

Carrying  the  slack  chain  in  his  hands,  he  walked 
along  by  the  side  of  the  apostle  in  the  centre  of  the 
square  formed  by  the  soldiers.  Close  at  hand  was 
Gwenna  and  with  her  Rebekah,  together  with  Lucas, 
Linus,  Cletus,  and  the  others.  The  women  had  their 
heads  covered  and  their  faces  veiled,  a  seemly  use  ac- 
cording to  Paulus,  and  in  the  case  of  Gwenna  a  very 
desirable  precaution. 

Paulus  knew  that  he  was  practically  free  and  all  that 
was  required  of  him  now  was  to  present  his  case  to  the 
Emperor  and  secure  a  confirmation  of  the  decree.  But 
Paulus  was  not  thinking  of  himself  at  that  moment ;  he 
did  not  greatly  care  whether  he  was  freed  or  not.  He 
did  not  intend  to  justify  himself  to  any  great  extent. 
He  was  firmly  purposed  to  take  advantage  of  what 
seemed  the  direct  intervention  of  Divine  Providence,  to 
preach  his  Christ  before  Nero  and  the  great  nobles  and 
people  of  the  Empire.  He  had  preached  that  Gospel 
before  high  Roman  officials  from  proconsuls  downwards, 


356    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

before  the  learned  philosophers  of  Athens,  before  the 
pleasure-loving  sybarites  of  Ephesus,  before  kings  of 
his  own  ancient  people,  but  now  he  was  to  declare  the 
Gospel  of  the  Lord  of  the  Universe  to  the  lord  of  the 
world. 

What  he  anticipated,  what  he  expected,  what  he 
hoped  from  such  a  presentation  mattered  little.  The 
business  of  Paulus  was  to  preach  that  Gospel,  and 
when  he  had  done  that  the  results  were  not  in  his  hands. 
He  had  seen  the  power  of  that  Gospel  in  the  course  of 
his  thirty  years  of  declaring  it  and  knew  there  was  no 
heart  so  stubborn,  no  soul  so  crime-stained  but 
could  be  touched  by  it.  It  was  such  power  as  the  world 
had  never  known.  It  was  founded  upon  truth ;  he  knew 
that  the  truth  was  mighty  and  would  ultimately  prevail. 

With  his  thoughts  turned  inward,  pondering  the  best 
method  of  presentation,  the  old  apostle  trudged  along 
the  narrow  Roman  streets.  He  was  in  a  mood  high  and 
exalted,  naturally  resulting  in  great  nervous  excitement 
which  rendered  him  insensible  to  everything  else.  Once 
Caius  Attilius  would  have  felt  the  degradation  and  hu- 
miliation of  his  position,  stalking  through  the  streets  by 
the  side  of  the  man  to  whom  he  was  chained,  more  keenly 
than  words  could  have  expressed,  but  now  he  was  as 
indifferent  to  the  jeering  laughter  and  mockery  of  the 
rabble  to  whom  his  downfall  was  well  known,  as  if  it 
had  had  no  existence  whatever. 

Attilius  was  not  yet  a  Christian.  He  found  it  dif- 
ficult to  give  way  to  his  inclinations,  to  his  desires.  He 
had  fought  with  his  convictions  like  a  Roman  and  had 
fought  hard,  but  he  had  become  profoundly  interested  in 


HOW  PAULUS  SPOKE  FOR  HIMSELF     357 

that  strange  religion  and  that  splendid  figure  of 
Christus  bulked  larger  and  larger  before  his  vision. 
Paulus  himself,  as  he  knew  him  better  and  better,  dis- 
closed such  high  qualities  of  splendid  manhood  in  the 
following  of  the  Crucified,  that  the  young  tribune  had 
almost  reached  the  point  of  taking  what  he  felt  would 
be  the  last  step  which  would  cut  him  off  from  his  past. 

Conscious  of  his  own  integrity  and  conscious  of  the 
greatness  of  his  prisoner,  Caius  Attilius  was  so  far 
weaned  away  from  that  past  as  to  be  actually  proud  of 
the  chain  that  bound  him  to  the  apostle.  And  the  fact 
that  he  walked  by  the  side  of  one  who,  although  he  was 
a  poor,  persecuted  Hebrew  in  spite  of  his  Roman 
citizenship,  a  prisoner  of  Rome,  and  an  outcast  from  his 
own  nation,  unwelcome  by  any  other,  was  indeed  the 
greatest  man  that  ever  set  foot  within  the  narrow  streets 
of  the  city  fatuously  called  eternal,  filled  him  with 
something  of  the  elation  of  a  conqueror ;  and  this  prog- 
ress was  to  him  not  unlike  the  formal  triumph  of  a 
victorious  general  on  his  way  to  the  Capital. 

Indeed,  although  Caius  Attilius  did  not  know  it, 
Paulus  was  a  conqueror,  and  this  was  the  greatest  of  all 
the  triumphs  Rome  had  ever  witnessed.  The  city  might 
pass  away,  some  day  would  pass  away,  but  the  words 
of  that  Christus  as  recorded  by  Lucas  and  as  explained 
by  Paulus  would  never  pass.  When  even  heaven  and 
earth  had  gone,  these  would  abide! 

And  Attilius  was  the  more  happy  in  that  Gwenna 
was  close  by  his  side.  Their  last  sweet  hour  of  converse 
upon  that  Sunday  afternoon  after  the  Breaking  of 
Bread  had  brought  balm  to  his  soul.  He  had  been  fear- 


358    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

ful  that  her  presence  at  the  trial  would  be  discovered 
and  that  she  would  fall  into  the  clutches  of  Nero.  He 
had  urged  that  she  change  her  design,  but  he  had  long 
ago  discovered  the  persistence  and  determination  of  the 
girl.  She  was  confident  that  her  disguise  would  prove 
effectual,  she  promised  to  keep  in  the  background.  Nero 
was  very  near-sighted,  Tigellinus  would  not  recognise 
her  with  her  dyed  hair  and  skin  and  her  strange  Jewish 
dress,  even  if  he  saw  her.  Whatever  the  risk,  she  was 
determined  to  take  it.  The  shifting  movement  of  the 
little  group  of  marchers  brought  her  upon  the  other 
side  of  the  tribune  from  Paulus.  Those  within  the 
square  were  forced  to  walk  close  together  by  the  nar- 
rowness of  the  streets  and  the  number  of  soldiers.  The 
soft  draperies  that  enshrouded  Gwenna's  graceful  figure 
brushed  lightly  against  the  sturdy  person  of  the  soldier 
and  every  touch  brought  him  a  thrill  of  joy. 

He  had  loved  her  before,  but  something  new,  some- 
thing higher,  something  nobler  had  come  into  his  soul ; 
his  passion  was  not  less,  on  the  contrary  greater,  but  it 
was  finer.  No  one  could  be  long  in  the  presence  of 
Paulus  without  feeling  happier  and  better.  Attilius 
noticed  that  even  the  rough  soldiers,  who  like  him  were 
detailed  in  attendance  upon  the  prisoner,  were  in  some 
measure  changed  by  the  daily  contact.  One  of  them, 
at  least,  had  become  secretly  an  avowed  Christian. 
With  him,  in  their  hours  off  duty  in  the  camp,  Attilius 
had  often  discussed  the  matter.  The  man  was  a  plain, 
blunt  soldier,  but  a  man  of  character  and  worth,  as  the 
tribune  soon  discovered. 

The  journey  from  the  insula  in  which  Paulus  had 


HOW  PAULUS  SPOKE  FOR  HIMSELF      359 

lived  to  the  palace  on  the  Palatine  was  not  a  very  long 
one;  the  distance  was  soon  traversed.  They  were  ex- 
pected. The  great  gates  in  the  outer  walls  were  thrown 
open,  the  sentries  on  duty  presented  arms  while  the 
prisoner  and  his  escort  marched  steadily  across  the 
courtyard  through  the  garden  and  into  the  great  hall  of 
the  palace. 

Save  for  a  few  soldiers  posted  at  convenient  places, 
this  great  hall  was  empty.  A  low  dais  rose  at  the  back- 
ground on  which  were  placed  two  chairs  of  carved  ivory. 
Above  these  chairs  a  canopy  of  royal  purple  silk  was 
draped.  In  the  middle  of  the  apartment  a  fountain 
played.  The  water  shot  almost  as  high  as  the  ceiling 
and  fell  back  with  a  musical  plash  into  the  marble  basin. 
There  was  a  large  square  aperture  in  the  roof,  and  as 
the  season  was  the  spring  of  the  year  and  as  it  was 
early  in  the  morning,  it  was  left  open;  the  purple 
awning  which  usually  covered  it  was  not  drawn,  so  that 
the  great  room  was  filled  with  bright  sunlight.  The 
walls  were  wainscoted  with  rare  marbles  and  divided 
above  into  panels  by  pillars  and  columns  sunk  into  the 
plaster.  Between  these  panels  the  blank  spaces  were 
filled  with  mural  paintings  by  the  most  famous  artists  of 
the  time.  Here  and  there  in  the  niches  of  the  wall 
were  placed  statues  by  the  great  masters  of  antiquity 
set  on  exquisitely  proportioned  pedestals.  On  either 
side  of  the  dais,  which  was  placed  close  against  the 
further  wall  of  the  room,  a  number  of  chairs  and 
couches  were  arranged  for  the  use  of  the  highest  and 
oldest  among  the  guests.  The  room  was  otherwise  de- 
void of  furniture. 


360    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

The  trampling  feet  of  the  prisoner  and  his  attendants 
and  the  soldiers  upon  the  tessellated  pavement  filled  the 
empty  place  with  sound.  The  centurion  led  his  com- 
mand to  the  centre  of  the  room  and  stopped  before  the 
fountain.  A  few  sharp  words  of  command  and  the 
ranks  opened  and  the  soldiers  fell  into  a  double  line 
which  extended  across  the  hall.  The  prisoner  and  his 
friends,  with  Attilius  and  the  centurion,  were  left  stand- 
ing in  front  of  the  centre  of  the  line. 

This  arrangement  had  scarcely  been  completed  when 
the  doors  were  opened  at  the  further  end  of  the  hall, 
the  heavy  hangings  of  purple  were  drawn  aside,  and 
through  them  streamed  a  multitude  of  people.  There 
were  the  two  prefects  in  full  armour  of  silver  and  gold, 
blazing  with  jewels.  No  conqueror  returning  home 
after  the  greatest  victory  shone  like  these  two,  whose 
soldiering  of  late  had  consisted  merely  in  commanding 
the  turbulent  pretorians  who  formed  the  bodyguard  of 
the  Emperor.  After  them  followed  a  number  of  dig- 
nified and  venerable  men  whose  senatorial  rank  was 
indicated  by  the  broad  purple  stripe  down  the  front  of 
their  tunics  showing  beneath  their  spotless  togas. 
Among  them  were  Seneca,  Gallic,  and  Sergius  Paulus. 
With  these  senators  were  a  number  of  proud  Roman 
matrons.  After  these  came  the  equites,  or  knights,  dis- 
tinguished by  their  narrower  double  purple  stripes,  and 
with  these,  having  edged  his  way  to  the  front  of  the 
ranks,  was  Regulus. 

A  look  of  great  anxiety  was  on  his  face — for  Attilius, 
not  for  Paulus.  Attilius  was  somewhat  amused  at  the 
awkward  way  in  which  Regulus  wore  his  toga.  The 


HOW  PAULUS  SPOKE  FOR  HIMSELF      361 

man  was  evidently  much  more  used  to  the  breastplate 
and  helm  and  other  accoutrements  of  war  than  with 
the  garments  of  peace. 

After  the  knights,  who  were  also  accompanied  by 
the  women  of  their  station,  came  the  Emperor's  freed- 
men,  led  by  Pallas,  the  richest  man  in  Rome.  They 
were  mostly  habited  in  tunics  of  the  rarest  and  most 
costly  materials,  although  some  few  of  them,  whom 
Nero  had  thrust  into  the  Senate,  wore  togas.  The  back- 
ground was  filled  with  attendants  and  slaves. 

A  buzz  of  conversation  rose  as  the  various  parties 
took  their  places,  the  senators  and  women,  many  of  the 
knights,  and  some  few  of  the  freedmen  being  seated,  the 
others  standing.  At  the  same  time  the  doors  through 
which  the  prisoner  had  entered  were  opened  and  the 
space  back  of  the  soldiers  was  also  filled  with  minor 
officials,  favoured  slaves,  soldiers  of  the  guard,  off  duty 
temporarily,  and  other  habitues  of  the  palace  who  en- 
joyed the  privilege. 

When  all  had  secured  their  places  as  indicated  by  the 
ushers  who  were  charged  with  the  duty  of  regulating 
the  order  of  precedence,  a  fanfare  of  trumpets  was 
blown  and  the  nomenclator  in  his  stentorian  voice  bade 
the  company  make  way  for  the  Chief  of  the  State,  the 
high,  the  mighty,  the  most  excellent,  Lucius  Domitius 
Nero  Claudius  Caesar,  Imperator,  Pontifex  Maximus, 
with  the  noble  and  beautiful  Augusta,  the  lady  Poppsea, 
his  wife.  Those  who  had  been  seated  rose  and  those 
who  had  been  standing  came  to  attention.  All  eyes  were 
turned  toward  the  doorway.  Those  on  that  side  parted, 


conversation  ceased.  The  soldiers  brought  their 
weapons  to  the  fore  in  salute. 

As  Nero  was  again  consul  he  was  preceded  by  his 
twelve  lictors.  They  in  turn  were  followed  by  a  squad 
of  pretorians.  These  opened  ranks,  and  through  the 
passageway  came  the  Emperor.  He  was  clad  as  usual 
in  his  favourite  purple  tunic,  although  in  honour  of  the 
company  he  had  the  grace  this  time  to  cincture  it 
tightly  around  his  waist.  He  wore  no  toga,  but  his 
head  was  encircled  by  a  fillet  or  diadem  set  with 
precious  stones.  He  led  by  his  hand  on  his  left  side  the 
Augusta,  the  Empress  Poppaea,  who  was  reputed  with 
desert  to  be  the  most  beautiful  woman  in  Rome.  She 
was  also  one  of  the  wickedest  and  most  dissolute  of 
Roman  women,  but  from  her  baby  face  and  innocent  air 
no  one  would  have  suspected  that.  Her  tunic  and  stola 
were  of  thin  tissue  of  silver  and  gold,  exquisitely  em- 
broidered, made  in  Coan,  and  scarcely  veiling  the  figure 
they  draped.  She  wore  her  diaphanous  garments  with 
shameless  indifference.  Her  neck,  arms,  and  ankles 
were  blazing  with  jewels  and  on  her  head  she  wore  a 
tiara  of  diamonds  that  sparkled  like  stars  in  the  glory 
of  her  blond  hair,  unusual  for  a  Roman  woman. 

A  murmur  of  admiration  broke  from  the  multitude  in- 
voluntarily, whereat  Nero  shot  a  swift  glance  around. 
He  did  not  choose  to  be  rivalled  even  by  Poppaea,  his 
consort.  He  lifted  his  emerald,  but  before  he  could 
place  it  to  his  eye  the  whole  assemblage,  recalling  the 
proprieties,  broke  into  a  shout  of  greeting: 

"  Hail  Caesar !     Hail  divine  Imperator !     Hail  lord  of 


HOW  PAULUS  SPOKE  FOR  HIMSELF     363 

the  earth !  Hail  son  of  the  gods !  Hail  Pontifex 
Maximus !  " 

Gwenna  shot  a  swift  glance  at  Caius  Attilius  as  Pop- 
paea entered.  Like  those  of  every  one  else,  the  tribune's 
eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  royal  pair,  and  a  pang  of 
jealousy  went  through  the  heart  of  the  British  maiden 
as  she  saw  her  lover  stare  at  this  other  woman.  If 
she  had  possessed  the  power  of  reading  the  mind  of 
the  tribune  she  would  have  had  no  cause  for  uneasiness, 
for  Attilius  saw  that  half  the  beauty  of  Poppaea  was 
in  her  magnificent  apparel  and  her  jewels.  He  was 
saying  to  himself  that  Gwenna  was  doubly  fair  and 
more  beautifully  formed  than  the  Empress,  and  the 
colour  upon  the  cheek  of  his  beloved  barbarian  was  put 
there  by  nature  and  not  by  art.  On  every  account 
Attilius  was  more  than  satisfied  in  the  comparison. 

Amid  all  these  shouts  and  exclamations,  Nero  led 
Poppasa  up  the  steps  of  the  dais  and  motioned  her  to 
the  lower  seat,  taking  the  higher  one  himself.  He 
waited  while  the  lictors  arranged  themselves  about  him 
and  then  turned  to  Tigellinus,  who  as  senior  pretorian 
prefect  had  approached  and  stood  at  the  foot  of  the 
dais,  facing  the  throne. 

After  Nero  and  Poppaea  had  come  a  few  of  the  Em- 
peror's choicest  friends,  Petronius,  Senecio,  Terpnos 
carrying  the  inevitable  harp,  Paris  the  dancer,  Aliturus 
the  actor,  and  one  or  two  women  in  immediate  attend- 
ance upon  Poppaea,  including,  so  the  quick  eye  of  At- 
tilius soon  discovered,  Lollia  Claudia,  dark  as  midnight 
but  radiant  in  a  magnificent  robe  of  crimson  embroid- 
ered in  gold  and  studded  with  diamonds.  Her  dress  was 


36*          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

also  of  the  thin  sheer  Coan  weave  and  in  its  revelation 
and  suggestion  was  even  more  daring  than  that  of 
Poppaea,  if  possible.  Around  her  neck  was  clasped  a 
string  of  wondrous  pearls.  With  a  start  Attilius 
recognised  them  as  an  heirloom  in  his  family.  He  had 
purposed  to  give  them  to  Lollia  Claudia  when  he  mar- 
ried her,  but  in  the  seizure  of  his  household  goods  they 
had  fallen  to  Nero  and  by  him  had  been  bestowed  upon 
this  beautiful  but  dissolute  woman. 

These  few  favoured  of  fortune  arranged  themselves 
on  the  dais  back  of  Nero  and  Poppaea.  The  soldiers 
who  brought  up  the  rear  also  took  their  stand  on  the 
dais,  so  that  save  directly  in  front  of  him  Nero  was 
ringed  about  with  steel.  There  was  nothing  to  be 
apprehended  from  Paulus,  but  on  an  occasion  of  this 
kind,  even  though  entrance  was  restricted  to  the  chosen 
friends  of  the  Emperor,  Nero,  who  was  a  coward,  a  rare 
thing  among  the  Romans,  left  nothing  to  chance. 

Silence  having  been  secured,  Nero  at  last  lifted  his 
hand.  Upon  this  signal,  Tigellinus  bowed  low  before 
him. 

"  Divinity,"  he  began,  "  the  prisoner  Paulus,  the 
Roman  citizen  of  Tarsus  in  Cilicia,  having  been  tried 
before  the  prefects  of  thy  Pretorian  Guard,  Fenius 
Rufus  and  thy  devoted  slave,  by  thine  order,  hath  been 
found  guiltless  of  any  offence  against  Caesar,  the 
Roman  Senate,  the  Roman  people,  or  the  Roman 
State." 

The  prefect  stopped  and  nodded  to  a  secretary,  who 
with  many  bows  came  forward  and  handed  him  a  paper. 
Receiving  it,  Tigellinus  waved  the  man  aside  and 


HOW  PAULUS  SPOKE  FOR  HIMSELF     365 

extended  toward  the  Emperor  an  official  parchment, 
heavy  with  seals. 

"  In  accordance,"  he  continued,  "  with  the  testimony 
of  the  tribune,  Claudius  Lysias,  then  stationed  at  Jeru- 
salem, and  of  Antonius  Felix,  procurator,  brother  of 
Pallas,  thy  freedman,  and  of  Porcius  Festus,  who  suc- 
ceeded Felix  as  thy  representative  in  Judea,  and  that 
descendant  of  the  Herods  whom  thou  didst  make  of 
thy  grace  and  clemency  King  of  Chalcis,  all  declaring 
the  innocence  of  this  old  man,  we  have  made  out  a 
decree  in  thy  name  setting  him  free.  It  lacketh  but 
thy  signature,  thy  royal  approval.  Thou  hast  been 
pleased  to  grant  the  accused  a  public  hearing.  In  ac- 
cordance with  thine  order  and  direction  it  hath  been 
arranged  this  morning.  The  prisoner  is  present." 

"  Hath  he  been  searched,"  asked  Nero,  "  to  see  that 
he  carrieth  no  weapons  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Tigellinus,  "  he  is  an  old  man  and  is 
still  in  the  custody  of  thy  pretorians." 

"  Thou  hast  done  well,"  said  Nero.  "  We  would  fain 
hear  this  prisoner.  Bid  him  approach  our  presence." 

Tigellinus  turned  to  the  nomenclator.  He  would  not 
demean  himself  by  speech  with  such  a  man  as  Paulus, 
therefore  he  said  to  him : 

"  Summon  the  prisoner." 

"  Paulus  of  Tarsus  in  Cilicia,  citizen  of  Rome,  stand 
forth  and  answer  to  thine  Emperor,"  cried  the  official 
in  his  great  voice. 

Now  Paulus  had  been  standing  with  closed  eyes  com- 
muning with  God  in  prayer  during  the  whole  time.  So 
rapt  was  he  that  first  Gwenna  and  then  the  tribune 


366          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

had  to  call  his  attention  to  the  summons.  When  he  per- 
ceived what  they  desired,  he  raised  his  head,  straight- 
ened himself,  squared  his  bent  shoulders,  and  accom- 
panied by  Attilius,  to  whom  he  was  still  chained,  and 
guided  by  one  of  the  officers  of  the  guard,  who  had 
stepped  forward  for  the  purpose,  he  walked  around 
the  fountain,  advanced  to  the  foot  of  the  dais,  and 
stopped  before  Nero. 

"  Divinity,"  said  Tigellinus,  waving  his  hand,  "  be- 
hold thy  prisoner." 

Nero  lifted  his  emerald  and  peered  through  it  at  the 
apostle.  As  was  proper,  Caius  Attilius  stood  a  little 
in  the  rear  and  to  one  side  of  Paulus.  The  Emperor's 
eyeglass  was  turned  after  a  while  in  his  direction.  He 
stared  at  him  a  moment,  and  then  turned  to  Tigellinus, 
who  had  not  removed  from  his  place  at  the  foot  of  the 
dais. 

"  Is  not  that " 

"  A  soldier  of  thine,"  interposed  the  prefect, 
"  named  Caius  Attilius,  in  guard  of  the  prisoner." 

A  light  silvery  laugh  rose  from  the  lips  of  one  of 
those  upon  the  dais  back  of  Poppaea.  It  was  Lollia 
who  laughed.  Nero  frowned,  looked  around,  observed 
who  it  was  who  had  had  the  audacity  to  laugh,  and 
then,  appreciating  what  the  laughter  meant  because 
he  saw  the  colour  flame  into  the  face  of  the  tribune, 
laughed  himself,  and  the  whole  company,  taking  its  cue 
from  Caesar,  laughed  loudly  also. 

The  heart  of  Gwenna  stood  still.  Beneath  the  stain 
upon  her  cheek  the  colour  came.  She  wished  in  her 
soul  that  she  had  there  a  thousand  of  the  sturdy  bar- 


HOW  PAULUS  SPOKE  FOR  HIMSELF     367 

barians  who  owed  allegiance  to  her  now  that  her  father 
was  dead.  How  she  would  have  swept  away  that  rabble 
from  the  Emperor  down. 

Attilius  stood  immovable  like  a  statue  of  bronze.  He 
marvelled  that  he  was  not  more  humiliated,  but  some- 
thing sustained  him  before  that  degenerate  audience 
and  their  mad  jesting  before  a  man  who  was  being  tried 
in  one  sense  for  his  life.  He  glanced  at  the  face  of 
Paulus,  who  stood  calm  and  unmoved,  the  pallor  of  his 
cheeks  somewhat  belied  by  the  sparkle  of  those  bright 
though  near-sighted  eyes.  Paulus  was  sustained  too. 
He  was  calm  outwardly,  easy,  composed,  bearing  him- 
self like  the  gentleman  he  was.  It  seemed  that  the  same 
power  that  uplifted  Paulus  helped  Attilius  also,  but 
the  tribune  did  not  know,  he  could  not  tell. 

Presently  the  laughter  died  away."  Nero  beckoned 
to  Tigellinus.  The  latter  stepped  forward  and  took 
his  place  on  the  dais. 

"  Stand  thou  here  by  my  side,"  whispered  the  Em- 
peror, "  with  thy  sword  out.  I  like  not  that  Attilius." 

"  The  gods  will  protect  their  favourite  child,"  said 

Tigellinus  softly,  "but  if  not "  He  lifted  his 

shining  blade  as  he  spoke  and  then  came  to  attention. 

There  was  a  bond  of  spirit  and  interest  between 
Nero  and  Tigellinus.  They  had  together  sounded  the 
depths  of  absolute  depravity,  and  for  that  reason  Nero, 
and  with  right,  trusted  everything  to  his  dark  minion. 

Silence  having  again  fallen  over  the  audience,  Nero 
stretched  forth  his  hand  toward  the  prisoner. 

"  Paulus  of  Tarsus,"  he  said  in  his  not  unpleasant 
voice,  "  Roman  citizen  of  Cilicia,  we  desire  to  hear  thee 


368    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

in  thine  own  justification.  I  have  been  informed  that 
thou  art  an  advocate  of  those  who  worship  that 
Christus  who  was  crucified  in  thy  country  before  I  was 
born.  I  have  here,"  he  lifted  the  paper  which  Tigel- 
linus  had  handed  to  him,  "  an  order  for  thy  release. 
If  thou  speakest  well  and  dost  please  me,  it  shall  be 
signed  forthwith  and  thou  shalt  go  free." 

"  Royal  clemency,"  bellowed  one  of  the  lusty 
senators. 

"  Divine  mercy,"  shouted  a  knight  from  the  other 
side. 

And  then  the  crowd  broke  into  an  acclaim  at  which 
the  Emperor  was  greatly  gratified.  He  lifted  his  hand 
to  still  the  tumult. 

"  Paulus,  thou  art  permitted,"  he  said  at  last,  "  to 
speak  for  thyself." 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE    INTERPOSITION    OF    GOD 

IN  all  that  great  assemblage  none  looked  with  more 
interest  at  the  prisoner  than  Petronius.  The  arbiter 
was  a  singular  mixture  of  refinement  and  vice,  the 
noble  and  base,  and  his  character  was  pervaded  by 
a  certain  philosophy  sometimes  cynical,  often  profound, 
always  in  evidence.  If  he  had  listened  to  his  good 
impulses  Petronius  might  have  written  his  name  on  the 
roll  of  the  world's  great,  but  a  certain  indifference, 
amounting  almost  to  laziness,  a  laissez  faire  spirit  which 
enjoyed  the  sweetness  of  doing  nothing,  at  the  same 
time  reserving  the  right  to  mock,  ridicule,  and  comment 
bitterly  upon  all  that  transpired,  prevented  him  from 
being  or  doing  anything.  He  was  a  Laodicean,  a  man 
who  saw  the  evil  of  his  time,  despised  it,  yet  tolerated 
it,  even  fell  into  it.  He  was  the  only  man  for  whom 
Nero  had  the  least  respect,  although  that  respect  was 
mingled  with  fear  which  finally  brought  about  the  un- 
doing of  the  Arbiter  Elegantiarum. 

Petronius  was  the  friend  of  profound  Seneca  and 
sweet  Gallio.  The  high-flown  sentiment  and  mag- 
nificent philosophy  of  Nero's  former  tutor  had  often 
been  discussed  between  the  three.  They  agreed  per- 
fectly upon  the  beauty  and  propriety  of  Seneca's  doc- 
trines, but  they  had  no  impulse  whatever  to  put  them 
into  play.  Petronius  saw  the  steady  degeneration  of 

369 


370          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

Rome  going  on,  but  like  that  "  well-beloved  "  French 
monarch  who  came  centuries  later,  he  knew  that  his 
time  was  short  and  that  he  would  outlast  the  Empire — 
for  the  rest  and  for  what  came  after,  that  was  no 
concern  of  his ! 

He  had  heard  from  Gallio,  with  whom  Paulus  had 
been  thrown  in  contact  at  Corinth,  something  about  the 
man.  He  looked  at  him  standing  at  the  foot  of  Nero's 
throne  with  intense  interest.  Somehow  into  the  ques- 
tioning mind  of  the  arbiter  came  the  thought  that  he 
on  the  throne  and  he  at  the  foot  of  the  throne  repre- 
sented two  different  systems,  antagonistic,  even  anti- 
thetic, in  character.  One  or  the  other  could  not  per- 
sist on  earth.  That  for  which  Nero  stood,  although  it 
had  the  backing  of  the  world — the  Roman  Empire! — 
and  that  for  which  Paulus  stood,  although  he  seemed 
now  to  have  no  backing  at  all,  to  the  cynical  pagan 
were  at  absolute  odds. 

Petronius  was  a  mind  reader.  He  was  accustomed 
to  estimate  men,  both  at  their  surface  value  and  other- 
wise, but  primarily  from  what  he  saw  without  and  then 
secondarily  from  his  ability  to  look  within.  He 
thought  Nero  would  have  little  chance  with  Paulus, 
either  outwardly  or  inwardly  considered.  If  Paulus 
had  any  backing  at  all  Petronius  was  fain  to  confess 
that  Nero  and  that  for  which  he  stood  would  be 
doomed.  What,  who,  was  behind  Paulus?  And  that 
was  something  Petronius  could  not  divine,  could  not  sus- 
pect even. 

There  was  no  comparison  between  the  two  men.  We 
have  seen  Nero.  The  splendour  of  his  attire,  the  ad- 


THE  INTERPOSITION  OF  GOD          371 

vantage  of  the  position  he  enjoyed  upon  the  dais,  his 
beautiful  hair  with  its  bronze  light  encircled  by  the 
bediamonded  fillet,  did  not  in  the  least  disguise  the 
character  that  was  stamped  upon  the  face  of  the  man. 
Pride  of  birth,  pride  of  power,  arrogance,  insolence, 
encouraged  by  the  thousand  servile  flatterers  who  sur- 
rounded him;  moral  evil,  sexual  vice,  all  were  plainly 
written  there.  The  man  had  no  conscience,  no  soul,  no 
affection.  Poppaea,  the  beautiful  if  shameless  wife,  was 
to  die  hereafter  from  a  brutal  kick  administered  to 
her  just  as  she  was  about  to  become  a  mother. 

The  Emperor  had  gained  his  crown  through  the  mur- 
der of  his  step-father.  He  had  shaken  off  the  sway  of 
his  incestuous  mother  by  matricide.  He  had  poisoned 
the  Prince  Britannicus,  his  brother-in-law,  the  rival 
claimant  for  the  throne.  He  had  seduced  and  then  mar- 
ried Poppaea,  the  wife  of  his  dearest  friend,  whom  he 
had  sent  into  banishment,  after  the  murder  of  his  step- 
sister and  first  wife  Octavia.  Not  one  of  the  syco- 
phantic, grovelling  senators  or  knights,  not  even  the  in- 
timate friends  of  Caesar,  not  even  Petronius  himself  had 
a  certain  tenure  of  life  or  property.  Indeed,  before  his 
freedmen  forced  the  dagger  held  in  his  own  reluctant 
hands  into  the  Emperor's  throat,  most  of  those  who  were 
present  that  morning  had  fallen  victims  of  his  resent- 
ment, his  greed,  and  his  fear.  The  bleary  eyes,  the 
pallid  face,  the  pouting,  sensual  lips,  the  frowning  brow, 
tlje  ruthlessness  and  cruelty  of  his  glance,  would  have 
marked  the  man  as  a  criminal  of  the  worst  type,  a  de- 
generate of  the  lowest  grade,  in  any  society  and  at  any 
time. 


372          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

From  that  face  with  whose  looks  he  was  so  familiar, 
the  eyes  of  Petronius  ranged  to  the  prisoner.  He  saw 
a  man  small  of  stature  but  broad  of  shoulders  and 
sturdily  built,  his  back  bent  a  little,  as  if  by  a  burden 
too  heavy  to  be  sustained  by  a  mere  mortal.  The  man's 
face  was  pale,  too,  but  there  was  a  look  of  lofty 
purity  in  his  countenance,  a  majesty  in  his  face  that 
might  better  have  become  a  Caesar;  and  such  ineffable 
dignity,  none  the  less  evident  from  a  certain  humility 
in  his  bearing,  that  there  was  no  comparison  between 
the  two.  One,  the  man  of  the  throne,  was  pale  be- 
cause of  men  and  women  and  their  vices ;  the  other,  he 
of  the  chain,  was  pale  because  of  service  for  God.  In 
but  one  particular,  the  two  were  alike.  They  were 
both  near-sighted;  but  whereas  Nero's  eyes  were  dull 
and  lifeless,  those  of  Paulus  were  exceedingly  brilliant. 

The  Hebrew  lacked  the  glorious  crown  of  hair  of  the 
Emperor ;  his  massive  head  was  bald  except  for  a  fringe 
of  hair  now  almost  white,  his  meeting  eyebrows  were 
iron-grey.  Intellectual  force  and  power  were  stamped 
upon  that  head  as  well  as  disinterested  dignity  and 
calm.  The  Emperor  was  clean-shaven ;  a  short,  care- 
fully trimmed  beard  of  "  sable-silver "  fell  upon  the 
prisoner's  breast.  Nero  was  vainly  clad  in  the  softest 
silk,  Paulus  wore  the  plain  brown  tunic  of  his  habit. 
It  was  new,  scrupulously  clean,  exquisitely  simple. 

Attilius  towered  over  the  apostle.  In  the  open  space 
left  between  the  ordered  ranks  of  the  century  which 
had  brought  the  prisoner  there  and  the  crowded  court 
on  either  side  and  back  of  Nero,  the  two  striking  figures 
were  alone.  The  eyes  of  all  were  fastened  upon  Paulus, 


373 

some  with  interest,  real  or  assumed,  since  Paulus  was 
the  object  of  Nero's  attention;  others  with  covert  indif- 
ference, and  some  with  open  mockery  and  scorn.  Back 
of  the  apostle,  Lucas,  Linus,  Cletus,  Gwenna,  and  the 
others  prayed  for  him  in  that  hour  of  trial.  As  Nero 
gave  the  Hebrew  permission  to  speak,  Paulus  heard  a 
whisper  from  his  guard : 

"  Now  may  thy  Christus  be  with  thee !  " 

The  words  came  to  him  softly,  and  although  they 
came  from  the  lips  of  a  heathen,  a  man  who  had  pro- 
fessed no  belief,  they  gave  Paulus  wondrous  encourage- 
ment. He  was  accustomed  to  being  alone,  so  far  as  men 
were  concerned,  to  standing  solitary,  sustained  by  the 
power  of  God  only,  before  the  world's  courts;  yet  he 
was  human  and  his  heart  thrilled  to  those  words.  He 
nodded  imperceptibly  to  Attilius  to  show  him  that  he 
understood  and  began  his  speech. 

His  voice  was  low.  His  words  came  slowly;  he  fal- 
tered from  time  to  time.  Those  present  thought  that 
the  greatness  of  his  auditory  oppressed  him.  But  it 
was  not  that.  Paulus  was  ever  slow  of  speech  and  timid 
until  he  had  entered  fully  into  his  argument,  when  his 
hesitation  and  timidity  left  him  and  he  swung  along 
like  a  tempest. 

The  Romans  were  great  orators.  To  be  taught  to 
speak  was  part  of  the  education  of  every  patrician.  At- 
tilius had  been  charmed  by  Paulus'  persuasive  eloquence 
in  conversation  and  he  felt  at  once  greatly  disappointed. 
And  there  was  a  sense  of  personal  regret,  for  without 
being  conscious  of  it,  he  had,  as  it  were,  constituted 
himself  the  champion  of  Paulus,  and  he  was  very  eager 


374          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

that  the  Hebrew  should  set  forth  his  case  so  as  to 
move  and  appeal  to  Csesar  and  the  rest.  He  was  dis- 
appointed, too,  with  the  line  of  argument  which  Paulus 
seemed  to  be  entering  upon,  after  a  few  preliminary 
words.  Instead  of  defending  himself,  he  was  actually 
preaching  the  Gospel  of  Christus  to  Nero! 

But  as  the  apostle  progressed,  as  the  words  began 
to  come  quicker,  as  his  voice  steadied,  as  his  hand 
uplifted,  as  his  arms  were  thrown  out  in  splendid  ges- 
ture, the  clink  of  the  chain  seeming  to  add  emphasis 
to  every  movement,  Attilius,  like  the  rest,  was  carried 
away  by  the  force  and  fire  of  his  torrential  elo- 
quence. 

"  I  count  myself  happy,"  he  began,  after  a  glance 
at  Nero,  but  bending  his  eyes  downward  as  he  spoke, 
"  at  being  permitted  in  this  imperial  presence  to  plead 
my  cause.  I  have  heard  from  the  lips  of  his  excellency, 
thy  pretorian  prefect,  O  Caesar,  that  I  have  been 
adjudged  innocent  of  any  offence  against  Rome  or  its 
laws.  The  testimony  of  Claudius  Lysias,  of  Antonius 
Felix,  of  Porcius  Festus,  and  even  of  royal  Agrippa 
of  mine  own  nation,  hath  acquitted  me.  And  perhaps 
it  is  not  necessary  for  me  further  to  discuss  that  where- 
with I  am  charged  save  to  confirm  with  mine  own  mouth 
the  testimony  that  these  have  witnessed  for  me.  I  have 
committed  nothing,  not  only  against  the  laws  of  Rome 
but  not  even  against  the  peoples  or  customs  of  my 
fathers.  I  have  not  shared  in  the  tumults  which  raged 
about  me.  After  successive  trials  before  thine  officers 
and  after  waiting  two  years  in  prison  at  Caesarea,  I 
appealed  unto  thee,  confident  that  through  the  majesty 


THE  INTERPOSITION  OF  GOD          375 

of  Rome  I  should  have  that  justice  which  I  ask  and 
which  is  my  birthright  as  a  Roman  citizen." 

"  The  man  speaketh  well,"  whispered  Petronius  from 
his  place  on  the  dais,  which  was  raised  only  a  step 
or  two  above  the  floor,  to  Regulus,  who  had  edged  close 
beside  him. 

A  certain  sympathy  for  Attilius  had  made  these  two 
friends  who  otherwise  were  so  different  in  rank  and 
station  and  culture  that  common  interest  between  them 
was  impossible. 

"  Well  indeed,"  answered  Regulus ;  "  I  know  him ;  he 
is  a  man." 

"  That  thou  mayest  have  a  proper  understanding 
of  all  these  things,  O  Caesar,"  continued  Paulus  more 
easily  and  confidently,  "  know  that  I  am  a  citizen  of 
Rome,  a  Jewish  man,  born  in  Tarsus  of  Cilicia,  no 
mean  city,  as  thou  hast  heard.  My  family  had  earned 
Roman  citizenship  by  service  to  the  state.  Into  that 
citizenship,  therefore,  freely  was  I  born.  My  father's 
labours  brought  him  plenty  for  our  needs.  I  was 
given  the  best  education  afforded  by  my  native  place, 
and  as  we  Hebrews  must  all  be  taught  a  trade,  I 
learned  to  be  a  tent-maker,  and  with  these  hands  have 
I  laboured  to  get  mine  own  living  and  to  be  beholden 
to  no  one  in  after  days.  In  my  young  manhood  I  was 
sent  to  Jerusalem  and  placed  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel, 
a  great  teacher  of  the  Mosaic  Law,  where  I  was  trained 
in  the  strictest  way  in  the  law  of  our  fathers.  It  may 
ill  beseem  me  to  speak  of  myself,  yet  that  thou  mayest 
understand  from  the  beginning,  with  thy  gracious  per- 
mission, I  will  speak  on." 


376          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Continue,"  said  Nero. 

His  voice  was  not  unpleasant,  but  how  different  did 
it  sound  from  that  of  Paulus,  which  was  gathering 
strength  and  sweetness  and  power  with  every  passing 
moment. 

"  I  thank  thee.  I  served  the  gods  of  my  fathers 
with  a  pure  conscience  as  I  had  a  right,  for  I  was  a 
Hebrew  of  the  Hebrews,  circumcised  the  eighth  day, 
of  the  stock  of  Israel,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  as 
touching  the  law  a  Pharisee.  Thou  hast  heard  of 
Christus,  whom  we  call  Jesus?  " 

"  Aye,"  answered  Nero.  "  He  was  crucified  for  sedi- 
tion in  the  reign  of  my  divine  precursor  Tiberius 
Claudius  Cassar,  by  one  Pontius  Pilate,  who  was  then 
the  imperial  procurator  of  Judea." 

"  That  is  He,"  continued  Paulus.  "  Men  of  my 
people  worshipped  him  as  God.  These  I  persecuted 
even  unto  death,  being  exceedingly  mad  at  them.  The 
men  were  stoned,  the  women  and  the  children  delivered 
into  prison,  for  I  hated  His  Holy  Name.  My  manner 
of  life  from  my  youth,  which  was  at  first  among  mine 
own  nation  at  Jerusalem,  know  all  the  Jews,  and  they 
could  testify,  if  they  would,  that  after  the  most  straitest 
sect  of  their  religion  I  lived  a  Pharisee.  And  now  I 
stand  and  am  judged  by  them  for  the  hope  of  the 
promise  of  God  made  unto  our  fathers.  The  promise 
of  a  Messiah  who  would  restore  to  God's  chosen  people 
their  ancient  rights  and  privileges,  their  ancient  lib- 
erties." 

"Is  this  treason?"  interposed  Nero  harshly. 
"  Have  a  care,  Paulus ;  thy  decree  is  not  yet  signed." 


THE  INTERPOSITION  OF  GOD          377 

"  Nay,  Imperator,"  answered  the  apostle,  "  the  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah  is  a  spiritual  kingdom.  One  day 
His  enemies  sought  to  entrap  Him  upon  the  question 
of  paying  tribute  to  the  Emperor.  He  called  for  a 
piece  of  silver  of  the  imperial  coinage.  He  showed 
it  to  them,  it  bore  the  head  of  Tiberius,  and  asked 
them  whose  was  its  image  and  superscription.  They 
answered  Caesar's.  He  handed  it  back  to  them  with  the 
injunction  that  they  should  render  unto  Caesar  the 
things  that  were  Caesar's  and  unto  God  the  things  that 
were  God's." 

"  This  Christus  was  a  philosopher,"  said  Petronius 
softly  into  the  ear  of  Nero.  "  Into  His  teachings  we 
might  profitably  inquire,  divinity." 

Nero  nodded,  glad  to  have  this  word  of  approval 
from  the  arbiter. 

"  He  was  right,"  he  said  to  Paulus.     "  Proceed." 

"  Our  prophets  foretold  that  our  Christus  would 
be  rejected  by  His  people,  that  they  would  crucify  Him, 
that  He  would  suffer  for  their  sins,  and  that  on  the 
third  day  He  would  arise  from  the  dead." 

"  And  did  He?  "  queried  Nero. 

"  Thou  sayest,"  answered  Paulus  solemnly,  the  bold 
confirmation  ringing  through  the  hall  as  he  stood  erect 
and  looked  straight  into  the  face  of  the  Emperor. 

"  And  hast  thou  proof  of  this  ?  "  asked  Nero  care- 
lessly, amid  an  excited  buzz  of  incredulous  exclamation 
and  comment. 

"  I  have." 

"  Thou  dost  interest  me  greatly,"  said  the  Emperor ; 
"  speak  on." 


378          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  I  did  not  read  aright  the  ancient  prophets.  Cruci- 
fixion was  of  old  to  us  the  sign  of  the  wrath  of  God. 
I  believed  the  Man  condemned  by  His  own  sins  rather 
than  by  mine.  I  verily  thought  with  myself  that  I 
ought  to  do  many  things  contrary  to  the  name  of  Jesus 
of  Nazareth.  Which  things  I  also  did  in  Jerusalem ; 
and  many  of  the  saints  did  I  shut  up  in  prison,  having 
received  authority  from  the  chief  priests ;  and  when 
they  were  put  to  death  I  gave  my  voice  against  them. 
And  I  punished  them  oft  in  every  synagogue  and  com- 
pelled them  to  blaspheme,  .and  being  exceedingly  mad 
against  them,  I  persecuted  them  even  unto  strange 
cities. 

"  Whereupon  as  I  went  to  Damascus  with  authority 
and  commission  from  the  chief  priests,  at  midday,  O 
Csesar,  I  saw  in  the  way  a  light  from  heaven,  above 
the  brightness  of  the  sun,  shining  round  about  me  and 
them  that  journeyed  with  me.  And  when  we  were  all 
fallen  to  the  earth  I  heard  a  voice  speaking  unto  me 
and  saying  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  '  Saul,  Saul,  why 
persecutest  thou  me?  it  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against 
the  pricks.'  And  I  said,  '  Who  art  thou,  Lord?  '  And 
He  said,  '  I  am  Jesus,  whom  thou  persecutest.  But 
arise  and  stand  upon  thy  feet ;  for  I  have  appeared 
unto  thee  for  this  purpose  to  make  thee  a  minister  and 
a  witness  both  of  these  things  which  thou  hast  seen 
and  of  those  things  in  the  which  I  will  appear  unto 
thee.  Delivering  thee  from  the  people  and  from  the 
Gentiles  unto  whom  now  I  send  thee,  to  open  their 
eyes  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  and 
from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may 


THE  INTERPOSITION  OF  GOD          379 

receive  forgiveness  of  sins  and  inheritance  among  them 
which  are  sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in  me.' 

"  Whereupon,  O  Caesar,  I  was  not  disobedient  unto 
the  heavenly  vision.  But  showed  first  unto  them  of 
Damascus  and  at  Jerusalem  and  throughout  all  the 
coasts  of  Judea  and  then  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they 
should  repent  and  turn  to  God  and  do  works  meet  for 
repentance.  For  these  causes  the  Jews  caught  me  in 
the  temple  and  went  about  to  kill  me. 

"  Having  therefore  obtained  help  of  God  I  continue 
unto  this  day,  witnessing  both  to  small  and  great,  say- 
ing none  other  things  than  those  which  the  prophets 
and  Moses  did  say  should  come.  That  Christ  should 
suffer  and  that  He  should  be  the  First  that  should 
rise  from  the  dead  and  should  show  light  unto  the 
people  and  to  the  Gentiles,  for  so  in  our  speech  we 
style  all  those  who  are  not  of  our  nation,  meaning  no 
disrespect  thereby." 

The  voice  of  the  great  preacher  coming  into  his 
own  rang  through  the  lofty  hall,  which  had  grown 
strangely  silent.  As  he  spoke  of  the  beauty  and  the 
power  of  the  radiant  vision  which  had  met  him  in  the 
way,  he  threw  his  hand  upward  and  stepped  back  a 
little,  full  into  the  sunlight  which  poured  through  the 
great  opening  in  the  ceiling.  And  following  that  up- 
ward gesture  it  almost  seemed  for  the  moment  as  if 
the  Christ  he  preached  were  there. 

As  he  paused  after  that  great  climax  to  begin  again 
in  a  lower  key,  a  sudden  murmur  broke  out  again. 
How  would  these  words  be  received?  It  was  soon  de- 
termined. Nero,  of  all  present  the  least  moved,  smiled. 


380          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

There  was  mockery  in  that  smile.  Tigellinus,  quick 
to  interpret  his  master's  moods,  burst  into  loud,  vulgar, 
jeering  laughter. 

"  Paulus,"  cried  the  prefect,  recovering  himself  with 
difficulty,  "  thou  art  beside  thyself.  Much  learning 
hath  made  thee  mad." 

Tigellinus  laughed  loudly  again  and  the  whole  hall 
was  swept  by  a  gale  of  merriment.  Did  Nero  and  his 
think  they  could  laugh  down  the  wind  Paulus  and  his 
Christ?  Who  shall  say?  Such  a  reception  would  have 
daunted  the  boldest  man.  He  was  truly  alone  before 
the  mocking  world  and  its  rulers,  but  the  fire  had  en- 
tered the  soul  of  that  Hebrew.  Their  laughter  moved 
him  to  pity,  to  pity  for  them.  He  raised  his  hand 
once  more  and  opened  his  lips. 

The  tumult  died  away.  This  was  a  rare  meeting. 
They  were  getting  much  amusement  out  of  it.  Nero 
had  been  well  advised  to  provide  this  spectacle  for  his 
court.  What  further  folly  at  which  they  might  jest 
would  this  strange  Hebrew  speak?  Would  he  be  indif- 
ferent or  resentful  ?  Some  of  the  sharper  eyes  had  seen 
Attilius  clench  his  sword  at  their  mockery  and  that 
added  much  to  their  pleasure.  What  would  Paulus  do? 
Gently,  sweetly  he  began: 

"  I  am  not  mad,  most  noble  prefect,  but  speak  forth 
words  of  truth  and  soberness.  If  thou  wilt  but  hear 
me  further,  O  Caesar." 

"  And  dost  thou  think,"  laughed  Nero  sneeringly, 
"  to  persuade  me  in  a  little  to  be  a  follower  of  thy 
crucified  God — a  Christian?  " 


381 

"  I  would  to  God,"  cried  Paulus,  lifting  up  his 
chained  hand  and  shaking  it  in  the  face  of  them  all, 
"  that  not  only  thou,  O  Caesar,  but  also  all  that  hear 
me  this  day  were,  both  in  little  and  in  great,  such  as  I 
am,  save  for  these  bonds." 

"  Insolence !  "  cried  Tigellinus,  stepping  forward. 

"  Nay,"  said  Nero,  "  it  amuseth  me,  and  yet  there  is 
some  method  in  his  speech.  What  saidst  thou  of  thy 
Christ,  Paulus?  Whose  Son  was  He?" 

"  The  Son  of  God,  born  of  His  Holy  Spirit  of  a 
virgin  mother." 

"  Impossible,"  exclaimed  Pollio  scornfully.  "  In  the 
fables  of  our  discarded  religion  there  were  many  gods 
born  of  women — scarcely  virgin ! — and  of  Jupiter ;  but 
none  believe  in  that  religion  now,  save  the  -common 
people." 

"  '  All  religions,'  "  quoted  Petronius,  "  *  are  regarded 
by  the  common  people  as  equally  true,  by  the  philos- 
ophers as  equally  false,  and  by  the  statesmen  as  equally 
useful.'  " 

"  I  do  not  find  that  statement  of  a  man  being  fathered 
by  a  divinity  so  impossible  of  belief,"  said  Nero,  touched 
in  his  self-esteem,  "  for  I  myself  am  born  of  a  god." 

"  But  not  by  a  virgin  if  Agrippina  be  his  mother," 
Petronius  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  whisper 
to  Regulus,  taking  his  life  in  his  hands  as  he  did  so, 
for  had  Nero  heard  him  or  any  one  else  save  so  faith- 
ful a  man  as  the  centurion  that  hour  had  been  his 
last. 

"  True,   O   divinity,"    cried   Pollio,    alarmed    at   the 


382    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

tangle  into  which  he  had  thrust  himself  in  his  im- 
petuosity. 

"  Blasphemer !  "  cried  Paulus  furiously,  his  pale  face 
reddening ;  "  Antichrist !  " 

Nero  turned  and  looked  at  the  prisoner,  his  own  coun- 
tenance flushing  in  turn  with  anger  at  the  interruption, 
and  Paulus  sustained  that  look,  which  caused  even  the 
great  among  the  Romans  to  cower,  without  blenching. 

"  Thou  seest,  Pollio,"  loudly  exclaimed  Petronius, 
quick  to  intervene  to  save  the  Hebrew,  who  had  inter- 
ested him  and  whose  courage  he  admired,  "  even  Paulus 
hath  found  thee  at  fault  because  thou  hast  forgotten 
the  divinity  of  Caesar." 

"  As  ever  thou  art  right,  my  Petronius,"  said  Nero, 
his  face  clearing  at  the  explanation ;  "  and  now  tell  me, 
Paulus,  am  I  not  a  greater  god  than  this  Christus,  since 
I  have  not  been  crucified?  " 

He  rose  as  he  spoke  and  looked  around  him  with 
insolent  pride.  The  whole  assemblage  rose  with  him 
and  shouted  and  cheered  him,  while  above  the  tumult 
rose  the  steady  cry  from  hundreds  of  throats: 

"  Divinity !  divinity !  divinity !  " 

"  And  this,"  whispered  Petronius  to  Regulus,  with 
biting  irony,  "  is  the  way  we  make  our  gods." 

Horror-stricken,  Paulus  stood  rooted  to  the  spot, 
his  eyes  fixed  on  Nero,  his  hands  outstretched,  his 
body  bent  backward,  his  head  turned  sideways  as  if 
he  expected  a  shock.  So  the  Philistines  might  have 
stood  that  moment  when  they  saw  the  temple  begin  to 
fall  under  Samson's  mighty  out-thrust  arms.  There 
was  something  so  tremendous,  so  terrific  in  his  figure 


"That   divinity  that  thou  hast  claimed,   oh   Nero" 


THE  INTERPOSITION  OF  GOD          383 

that  as  one  after  another  saw  him  the  shouts  died 
away  and  silence  prevailed  as  suddenly  as  the  tumult 
had  arisen.  This  was  the  Hebrew's  opportunity. 

"  For  Christ's  sake,  in  Whom  I  now  believe,"  whis- 
pered Attilius  to  him,  catching  him  by  the  arm,  and 
the  apostle  had  time  to  note  that  confession,  "  say  no 
more." 

The  Roman  divined  that  Paulus  would  not  permit 
such  blasphemy  as  had  fallen  from  the  lips  of  Nero  to 
pass  unrebuked. 

Attilius  had  seized  him  with  a  grasp  of  iron,  but 
Paulus  shook  him  off  as  if  he  had  been  nothing.  He 
stepped  forward. 

"  That  divinity  that  thou  hast  claimed,  O  Nero," 
he  thundered,  raising  his  hand 

And  then  something  happened.  The  voice  of  the 
speaker  died  away,  his  mouth  opened,  a  strained,  awful 
look  came  into  his  face,  his  arm  fell.  A  horrible, 
guttural  sound  broke  from  his  lips  that  had  a  moment 
since  framed  such  magnificent  words.  His  jaw  locked, 
a  fleck  of  foam  fell  upon  his  beard.  He  swayed  and 
staggered,  and  before  Attilius  could  catch  him  he 
crashed  down  upon  the  pavement,  writhing  and  strug- 
gling in  the  grasp  of  a  frightful  convulsion. 

It  seemed  to  Attilius,  as  he  fell  to  his.  knees  and 
seized  the  apostle,  that  God  had  indeed  avenged  the 
blasphemy,  but  upon  the  wrong  man!  Yet,  as  always, 
had  he  but  known  it,  God  was  right. 

There  was  a  rush  of  feet  across  the  pavement.  Nero, 
seeing  the  figures  approaching  him  and  shocked  beyond 
measure  by  the  dreadful  spectacle  presented,  shouted 


384          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

in  great  alarm  for  Tigellinus  and  the  guard.  They 
placed  themselves  in  front  of  him  with  drawn  swords, 
but  there  was  no  need.  The  approaching  figures  were 
those  of  Gwenna  and  the  other  women  and  Lucas, 
followed  by  the  rest  of  the  Christians. 

Gwenna  took  the  head  of  the  apostle  in  her  arms, 
Lucas  knelt  by  his  side.  Linus  and  Cletus  aided  the 
soldier  to  control  the  fearful  convulsive  movements  of 
his  limbs. 

"  It  seemeth  to  me,"  whispered  old  Regulus  to  Pe- 
tronius,  voicing  the  thought  of  Attilius,  "  that  the  gods, 
if  such  there  be,  have  made  a  mistake  in  launching  their 
wrath  upon  Paulus  rather  than  upon  Nero." 

"  Forget  that  thou  hast  uttered  those  words,"  said 
Petronius. 

Meanwhile  over  the  assemblage  broke  a  shout  of 
horror.  Women  screamed,  some  covered  their  faces 
with  their  hands,  others  leaned  forward  fascinated. 

"  He  hath  the  comitial  disease,"  cried  Senecio,  and 
the  cry  was  taken  up.  "  The  wrath  of  the  gods  is 
upon  him." 

"Will  he  die?"  asked  Nero,  trembling. 

"Is  there  a  physician  here?"  cried  Tigellinus. 

"  I,"  said  Lucas,  rising  to  his  feet,  "  am  a  physician 
and  a  friend  of  Paulus.  He  will  not  die.  Since  his 
conversion  these  attacks  have  come  upon  him  in  great 
moments  like  these,  and ' 

"  Let  him  be  taken  away,"  said  Nero. 

"As  a  prisoner?"  asked  Tigellinus. 

"  Nay,  let  him  go  free.  Stay,"  he  continued  as 
Tigellinus  presented  the  parchment  for  the  Emperor's 


THE  INTERPOSITION  OF  GOD          385 

signature,  "  what  said  he  before  he  was  stricken  down?  " 

"  The  last  words  that  fell  from  his  lips  were  ad- 
dressed to  thee,"  interposed  Petronius  swiftly,  giving 
the  slower  Tigellinus  no  time  to  reply ;  "  he  spoke  of 
thy  divinity." 

"  And  for  that  did  he  incur  the  wrath  of  the  gods  ?  " 
asked  Nero  dubiously. 

"  Nay,  but  because  he  had  sought  to  make  his  own 
god  greater  than  thou  wert,"  answered  Petronius,  who 
had  no  scruples  whatever  and  was  determined  to  secure 
the  enlargement  of  Paulus  at  any  cost. 

The  arbiter  was  no  Christian  and  had  no  intention  of 
becoming  one.  What  he  had  in  mind  was  the  helping 
of  the  prisoner  whom  in  some  way  he  found  to  be  mixed 
up  in  the  fortunes  of  Caius  Attilius,  for  whose  disgrace 
and  misfortunes  Petronius  was  profoundly  sorry. 

"  Again  thou  art  right,"  said  Nero,  greatly  relieved 
apparently.  "  The  man  shall  be  released.  He  is  mad 
but  harmless.  Give  me  the  order  and  a  pen." 

Tigellinus  nodded  to  the  secretary,  who  came  for- 
ward again.  Nero  sat  down,  rested  the  parchment  on 
his  knee,  dipped  the  reed  in  the  ink,  and  scrawled  his 
name  at  the  bottom  of  it. 

"  If  he  liveth,"  he  said,  "  he  shall  be  free." 

He  handed  the  parchment  to  Tigellinus,  who  in  turn 
passed  it  to  Lucas.  But  the  venerable  Greek  felt  that 
he  could  not  pass  by  Nero's  blasphemous  words  any 
more  than  Paulus,  nor  was  he  willing  to  allow  the  sug- 
gestion of  Petronius  to  pass  unchallenged.  He  stepped 
forward  and  lifted  his  hand  toward  Caesar. 

"What  wouldst  thou?" 


386    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Speech  with  thee,"  cried  Lucas  bravely. 

"  And  I,  and  I,"  cried  Linus  and  Cletus  in  turn. 

"  I  have  heard  enough  this  morning,"  said  Nero 
indifferently ;  "  if  ye  have  a  petition  to  present,  Or 
other  matter  to  bring  before  me,  let  it  follow  in  due 
course.  Take  the  old  man  away.  The  audience  is 
over." 

He  rose  again  as  he  spoke,  and  the  room  resounded 
with  the  calls  of  the  soldiers  on  guard  to  attention 
and  the  clamorous  hails  of  the  assemblage,  and  al- 
though Lucas  arfd  the  rest  spoke  now  without  permis- 
sion, Nero  had  turned  away,  and  Tigellinus,  fiercely 
resentful,  bade  his  soldiers  clear  the  hall.  Petronius 
lingered  after  the  rest  with  Regulus.  He  stepped  to 
the  side  of  Attilius. 

"  My  litter  is  outside,"  he  said ;  "  thou  canst  have  it 
for  the  morning  to  take  the  old  man  to  his  home.  Say 
to  him  that  one  Roman  disbelieveth  his  story  but  ad- 
mireth  his  courage.  Farewell." 

"  I  will  go  with  you,"  said  Regulus.  "  Tigellinus  hath 
promised  me  an  escort  of  pretorians." 

"  Let  us  go  then,"  said  Att'ilius ;  "  the  audience  is 
over  and  Paulus  is  free." 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

CAIUS    ET    CAIA VALE 

PAULUS  being  at  last  laid  upon  his  bed  in  his  apart- 
ment continued  in  that  merciful  oblivion  which  invari- 
ably succeeded  his  attacks.  Lucas,  who  watched  him 
assiduously,  gave  him  a  soothing,  quieting  draught 
when  he  stirred  and  was  able  to  take  it,  and  under  its 
influence  the  tired  old  man  slept  soundly  throughout 
the  afternoon  and  night  until  the  next  morning.  None 
had  sought  to  disturb  him  throughout  the  long  after- 
noon of  the  day  of  the  trial.  Lucas  had  begged  that 
all  save  the  inmates  of  the  apartment  withdraw,  and 
among  those  who  had  gone  away  had  been  Caius  At- 
tilius,  his  mind  a  tumult  of  feelings  and  emotions  too 
great  for  words. 

The  first  thing  that  came  to  Paulus  when  he  awak- 
ened was  a  sense  of  something  missing.  He  could  not 
at  first  make  out  what  it  was.  Finally  he  lifted  his 
left  arm  and  stared  at  it.  There  was  a  broad  white 
mark  around  the  wrist,  outward  and  visible  sign  of  the 
fetter  which  had  been  clasped  about  it  for  the  two 
long  and  weary  years,  but  the  black  bracelet  of  steel 
over  the  woolen  wristlet  was  gone.  No  clinking  of 
the  chain  followed  the  movement  of  his  arm ;  there  was 
no  drag,  no  weight  upon  it.  What  did  it  mean?  Who 
had  released  him,  and  why? 

Paulus  sat  up  in  bed  and  stared  at  the  spot  which 
387 


388    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

had  been  covered  by  that  fetter.  He  -studied  over  the 
problem  for  a  long  time.  Finally  he  clapped  his  hands 
softly,  and  Lucas  and  Gwenna  and  Rebekah  and  the 
other  inmates  of  the  household  came  running. 

"What  hath  chanced?"  asked  the  apostle,  stretch- 
ing forth  his  arm  for  all  to  see.  "  The  chain  is  gone ! 
Where  is  my  guard?  " 

"  Thou  art  free,"  said  Lucas. 

"Free!" 

"  Aye,  by  Nero's  order.  Dost  thou  not  recall  the 
hearing  and  thy  proclamation  of  the  Gospel?  " 

"  When  was  it  and  where  ?  " 

"  Yesterday  morning  in  the  palace  of  the  Cassar." 

Paulus  bent  his  head  into  his  hands,  thinking 
deeply,  and  finally  groaned  aloud. 

"  I  remember,"  he  said  slowly  at  last ;  "  the  blas- 
phemer, the  antichrist,  whom  I  would  fain  have  re- 
buked but — what  stopped  me  ?  " 

To  this  question  none  made  answer,  only  Lucas  his 
old  friend  looked  at  the  apostle  meaningly,  his  face 
working  with  love  and  tenderness. 

"  Was  I  stricken  down?  "  asked  Paulus  in  agony. 

"  The  hand  of  God,"  answered  Lucas  softly. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  admitted  Paulus,  "  but " 

"  In  thy  behalf  and  for  the  furtherance  of  the  Gos- 
pel," urged  the  Greek  earnestly. 

"  What  meanest  thou,  beloved  friend?  " 

"  God  hath  still  work  for  thee  to  do.  Thy  time  in 
His  hands  is  not  yet.  If  thou  hadst  been  permitted  to 
speak  on,  thy  headless  body  would  even  now  be  lying 
without  the  walls." 


CAIUS  ET  CAIA— VALE  389 

"  His  will  be  done,"  said  Paulus  humbly,  striving  for 
his  wonted  composure ;  "  but,  beloved  Lucas,  even  thou 
dost  not  know — how  I  have  prayed — I  am  weary  of  my 
course.  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  kept  the 
faith " 

"  But  thou  must  go  on  until  the  end." 

"  And  now  I  am  free  ?  " 

"  Here  is  the  edict,"  said  Lucas,  taking  the  roll  from 
the  writing  table,  "  signed  by  Cassar's  own  hand." 

"  The  man  of  sin  hath  power  over  the  servants  of 
God !  "  said  Paulus.  "  Well,  we  may  not  inquire  too 
closely  into  God's  ways." 

"  Beloved  master,"  said  Lucas,  "  never  since  I  have 
been  with  thee  hast  thou  borne  such  a  splendid  testi- 
mony to  Christ,  our  Lord,  as  on  yesterday  morning 
before  Caesar  and  his  court." 

"  Only  to  be  stricken  down  in  the  end,"  said  Paulus. 
"  But  thou,  thou  wert  free " 

"  Reproach  me  not,"  interrupted  Lucas  quickly ; 
"  with  Cletus  and  Linus  I  stepped  to  the  foot  of 
Caesar's  throne,  demanding  to  be  heard,  intending  to 
say  what  thou  wouldst  have  said,  but  he  would  not 
listen  to  us.  He  dismissed  us  with  a  wave  of  his  hand, 
and  although  we  shouted  at  him,  the  tumult  in  the  hall 
drowned  our  words.  Tigellinus  drove  us  forth  at  the 
sword  point." 

"  I  knew  that  thou  wert  a  true  man  and  worthy  fol- 
lower of  our  Master,  Lucas,  and  Linus  and  Cletus  as 
well.  Now  we  must  get  away  from  Rome  at  once." 

"  Thou  wilt  tarry  a  few  days  to  recover  thy 
strength?  "  asked  Lucas. 


390    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Nay,  I  go  at  once.  I  have  tarried  too  long  here  in 
idleness." 

"  Whither  goest  thou?  "  asked  Lucas.  "Not  that 
it  mattereth,  for  I  shall  go  with  thee  wherever  it  may 
be." 

"  Where  we  have  often  planned.  To  Lusitania,  to 
the  utmost  bounds  of  the  west,  and  perhaps  " — his  eye 
fell  upon  the  form  of  Gwenna — "  perhaps  some  day, 
who  knoweth,  to  that  far-off  island  of  thine."  He 
looked  at  her  fixedly.  "Wilt  thou  go  with  us?"  he 
asked  suddenly. 

And  Gwenna  faltered. 

"  I — I  do  not  know,  beloved  teacher,"  she  said  at 
last,  "  I " 

"  Where  is  the  young  tribune?  "  asked  Paulus.  "  He 
said  something  to  me  before  I  was  stricken  that  glad- 
dened my  heart  and  I  would  fain  hear  it  again." 

"  He  left  with  the  decurion  when  the  chain  was 
stricken  off  yesterday.  He  would  have  been  back  in 
the  afternoon  but  that  Lucas  forbade  him,"  answered 
Gwenna. 

"  Lucas,"  said  Paulus,  smiling,  "  thou  shouldst  have 
been  more  thoughtful  of  youth  and  love.  Let  him  be 
sent  for.  This  Caius  Attilius " 

"  Dost  thou  desire  to  see  me,  venerable  Paulus  ?  "  said 
the  deep  voice  of  the  tribune  from  the  front  of  the 
room  near  the  door  which  he  had  just  entered  un- 
observed. 

"  Wilt  thou  draw  the  curtain,  beloved  Lucas,  and 
help  me  to  the  bath  yonder?  I  must  arise.  I  have 
much  to  do,"  said  Paulus.  "  And  thou,  Caius  Attilius, 


CAIUS  ET  CAIA— VALE  391 

wilt   remain   with   Gwenna   until   I   have    speech   with 
thee?" 

"  I  am  free  for  the  day,"  answered  the  soldier,  "  and 
my  pleasure  is  thine." 

"  And,  Rebekah,  wilt  thou  make  ready  that  with 
which  we  may  break  our  fast  speedily? "  said  the 
apostle,  waving  his  hand  in  dismissal. 

All  the  others  accordingly  retired  except  Attilius  and 
Gwenna,  who  walked  away  to  the  window.  Lucas  drew 
the  concealing  curtain  and  helped  the  apostle  toward 
the  bathroom  containing  the  bronze  bathtub,  into  which 
the  pure  water  from  the  hills  was  soon  running  through 
the  taps. 

"  What  was  it,"  asked  Gwenna,  "  that  Paulus 
heard  thee  say?  " 

"  I  am  a  Christian,"  answered  Attilius  firmly ;  "  what 
the  Hebrew  said  at  the  audience  convinced  me  at  last." 

"  God  be  praised;  and  thou  wilt  be  baptised?  "  cried 
Gwenna,  her  face  alight. 

"  If  Paulus  thinketh  me  worthy,"  answered  Attilius, 
smiling,  yet  in  sadness,  at  her. 

And  here  the  maiden  did  a  strange  thing.  She  fell 
on  her  knees  before  him. 

"  Lord,"  she  said,  clasping  his  hand  and  kissing  it. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Attilius  wonderingly. 

"  I  was  thy  slave  before  and  I  am  thy  slave  still." 

"  Not  at  my  feet,  dearest  maiden,  but  in  my  arms," 
said  the  Roman,  lifting  her  up. 

He  had  often  clasped  her  in  his  arms  before,  always 
against  her  will  and  by  force,  save  on  the  night  of  the 
feast,  and  he  had  even  ravished  her  lips  of  kisses ;  but 


392    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

this  time  it  was  different.  She  gave  herself  up  to  his 
embrace  gladly,  not  turning  away  when  his  lips  sought 
her  own.  Her  arm  stole  around  his  neck  and  between 
kisses  they  whispered  to  each  other  words  that  can  be  but 
once  uttered  and  when  once  heard  can  never  be  forgot. 

"And  thou  wilt  marry  me  now,  my  lord?"  asked 
the  woman;  "  I  shall  be  thy  true  and  honoured  wife?  " 

"  Thou  dost  forget,"  answered  the  tribune  bitterly, 
"  that  I  am  a  soldier  bound  for  ten  years,  that  I  am 
penniless,  that  thou  art  free — rich — a  princess  of 
Britain." 

"  I  forget  everything,"  answered  Gwenna  simply, 
"  except  that  I  am  thine,  and  be  the  years  long  or 
short  I  shall  wait  for  thee." 

"  Whither  goeth  Paulus  ?  "  asked  the  tribune  sud- 
denly, still  holding  her  close. 

"  To  Lusitania  by  sea  and  perhaps  to  mine  own  dear 
island  of  Britain." 

"And  when?" 

"  To-day,  if  he  can  get  a  ship." 

"And  thou  wilt  go  with  him?" 

"  Not  without  thee." 

"  But  what  canst  thou  do  here  in  Rome  alone?  " 

"  I  know  not,  but  I  cannot  leave  thee." 

"Where  wilt  thou  stay?" 

"  Not  even  that  do  I  know,  but  I  shall  stay,  for 
thou  art  here." 

"  There  is  no  one  to  whom  I  can  entrust  thee  save 

perhaps  Regulus,  and  he "  began  Attilius  thought- 

fully. 

There  came  the  sound  of  heavy  footsteps  outside. 


CAIUS  ET  CAIA— VALE  395 

The  door  turned  on  its  pivot  and  the  broad,  sturdily 
built  veteran  appeared  in  the  entrance. 

"  How  opportune  is  thine  arrival,  old  friend,"  said 
the  tribune,  delighted,  stepping  forward,  half  leading, 
half  carrying  Gwenna  with  him  in  his  arms. 

He  had  been  separated  from  her  so  long  and  fate 
bade  fair  to  separate  them  so  soon  again  that  he  would 
fain  hold  her  close  while  he  could,  no  matter  who  might 
see. 

"  And  in  what  way  can  I  serve  thee,  I  who  live  to 
serve  thee?  "  asked  Regulus  quickly. 

And  in  their  joy  they  did  not  notice  a  certain  grim 
melancholy  which  overspread  the  features  of  the  worthy 
centurion.  He  looked  old  and  lonely,  careworn  and 
tired.  But  love  and  youth  were  blind  to  the  world, 
and  neither  of  the  young  people  observed  the  sadness 
and  quiet  of  the  veteran. 

"  I  am  a  Christian "  began  Attilius. 

Regulus  nodded  gravely ;  it  was  no  news  to  him ;  he 
had  expected  the  announcement. 

"  I  had  supposed  so,"  he  commented.  "  It  is  easy 
to  understand.  Go  on." 

"  I  have  plighted  my  troth  to  Gwenna ;  she  loveth 
me." 

"  Wilt  thou  marry  her?  " 

"  If  she  will  do  me  so  much  honour." 

"  Thou  art  indeed  changed,"  returned  the  centurion 
curiously.  "  Well,  what  preventeth  thy  nuptials  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  My  term  of  service  as  a  pretorian  of  the  guard. 
I  am  bound  for  ten  years  by  my  oath." 


394    THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

"  Let  that  trouble  thee  no  longer,"  said  Regulus 
calmly. 

"  What  meanest  thou?  " 

The  centurion  took  from  his  tunic  an  order. 

"  Here  is  thy  discharge." 

"  And  how  didst  thou  secure  it? "  asked  Attilius 
wonderingly. 

"  With — with  the  remainder  of  thy  fortune.  Fore- 
seeing such  a  chance  as  this,  I  held  back  enough  to 
bribe  Tigellinus." 

"And  Nero?" 

"  Thou  shalt  be  reported  killed  in  a  brawl  in  the 
city.  Thou  must  leave  Rome  and  disappear,  of 
course." 

"  With  me  and  Paulus,  in  the  ship  and  to  my  island," 
cried  Gwenna,  radiant  with  joy. 

"  It  is  well  thought  on,"  said  Regulus. 

"  Suffer  me,  worthy  friend,"  said  the  maiden. 

She  disengaged  herself  from  the  close  clasp  of  the 
tribune.  She  stepped  over  to  the  old  centurion,  slipped 
her  arm  about  him. 

"  Thou  hast  been  as  a  father  to  my  lord  and  to 
me." 

She  bent  his  grizzled  head  and  pressed  her  lips  upon 
his  brow.  Regulus  looked  at  her  strangely. 

"  That  is  the  first  kiss  I  have  had  from  lips  like 
thine  since  I  left  my  mother's  knee,"  he  said. 

"  And  my  blessing  go  with  it,  Regulus,  worthy 
friend,"  said  Attilius,  seizing  his  hand.  "  I  will  not 
desecrate  with  my  lips  the  face  that  Gwenna's  lips 
have  touched.  Thou  hast  been  more  than  a  father  to 


CAIUS  ET  CAIA— VALE  395 

me.  Life,  honour,  the  woman  I  love  thou  hast  given  to 
me.  How  can  I  requite  thee?  " 

"  In  this  recognition  I  find  reward  enough,"  answered 
the  soldier,  greatly  embarrassed  apparently. 

"  Come  thou  with  us  and  old  Paulus.  I  am  a  rich 
woman  in  mine  own  land,"  said  Gwenna ;  "  thou  shalt 
have  ease,  comfort,  a  command  in  Britain." 

"  No,"  answered  the  veteran. 

"  And  we  will  make  thee  a  Christian,"  urged  At- 
tilius  with  all  the  zeal  of  a  new  convert. 

But  Regulus  shook  his  head. 

"  I  was  born  in  Rome,  I  have  fought  always  under 
her  standard.  I  have  worshipped  always,  in  my  rough 
old  way,  her  gods.  I  can  live  nowhere  else.  I  can 
fight  in  no  other  cause.  I  can  learn  no  new  religion 
in  mine  old  age." 

"  What,  Regulus ! "  exclaimed  Paulus,  entering  the 
room,  refreshed  from  his  bath  and  dressed  in  his  usual 
habit,  although  the  keen  eye  of  the  centurion  noticed 
the  ravages  of  the  recent  attack,  the  results  of  which 
would  be  apparent  for  some  days.  "  Thou  art  set  in 
thy  ways,  old  friend." 

"  It  is  even  so,  worthy  Paulus.  But  I  have  a  mes- 
sage for  thee  from  the  noble  Petronius,  whose  ready 
wit  diverted  suspicion  from  thee  when  thou  didst  so 
boldly  challenge  Caesar." 

"  I  suppose  that  I  should  be  grateful,"  said  Paulus, 
"  but  I  would  to  God  that  He  had  permitted  me  to 
finish  my  testimony." 

"  It  seemeth  to  me  that  thy  God  struck  down  the 


396          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

wrong  man  yesterday,  and  I  said  so  to  the  arbiter,  who 
agreed  with  me." 

"  Nay,  nay,"  interposed  the  Hebrew ;  "  whatever  He 
doeth  is  right." 

"I  suppose  He  hath  more  work  for  thee  to  do?" 
shrewdly  surmised  the  old  soldier. 

"  That  is  the  explanation  of  it,  doubtless,"  admitted 
the  apostle.  "  But  what  said  the  noble  Petronius  ?  " 

"  That  one  Roman  disbelieveth  thy  story  but  ad- 
mireth  thy  courage." 

"  My  courage  is  not  mine  but  His  that  sent  me," 
returned  Paulus.  "  Wilt  thou  thank  the  Roman  for 
me?  I  shall  pray  for  him  that  light  may  enlighten  his 
darkness." 

"  I  shall  give  him  thy  message ;  and  now  hail  and 
farewell." 

"  Stay,"  said  Paulus ;  "  break  bread  with  thy 
friends,  if  thou  wilt  so  far  honour  my  poor  abode." 

"  Nay,"  said  Regulus,  "  I  must  go.  Wilt  thou  tell 
me  of  thy  plans?  " 

"  Thou  hast  well  said  that  God  when  He  struck  me 
spared  me  for  a  purpose.  I  am  for  Lusitania  by  ship 
to-night,  from  Ostia  to  Puteoli,  and  thence  across  the 
seas  aboard  the  first  vessel  that  is  ready.  I  would  fain 
take  Gwenna  with  me,  but  if  she  should  elect  to  bide 
here  longer  on  account  of  Attilius  yonder,  perhaps  thou 
wilt  take  care  of  her." 

"  Attilius  goeth  with  us,  beloved  Paulus,"  cried 
Gwenna  eagerly.  "  Regulus  hath  secured  his  release 
from  service.  My  lord  is  a  Christian  and  seeketh  bap- 
tism at  thine  hand,  and  after " 


CAIUS  ET  CAIA— VALE  397 

"  Afterward  the  blessing  of  God  by  thy  lips  upon 
our  union,"  said  Attilius. 

"  Thou  saidst  something  to  me  that  was  burned  upon 
my  memory  as  I  advanced  to  hurl  his  blasphemy  into 
the  face  of  Caesar." 

"  That  I  was  a  Christian,  and  if  I  am  found  worthy 
I  would  be  baptised  into  the  Name." 

"  Praised  be  God  for  His  mercy,"  said  Paulus. 
"  Regulus,  wilt  thou  not  come  with  us  and  know  more 
of  this  our  holy  religion?  " 

"  I  have  answered  the  invitation  which  the  noble 
Attilius  and  the  lady  Gwenna  have  already  extended. 
I  am  a  Roman,  born  in  the  City  of  Rome ;  I  have  fought 
for  her  throughout  my  long  life,  worshipped  her 
gods,  false  though  they  may  be,  I  know  not  as  to 
that.  In  that  faith  and  service  I  must  die — as  I  have 
lived." 

"  Thou  art  a  man  at  all  events,"  admiringly  said 
Paulus,  ungrudgingly  giving  him  his  hand ;  "  I  shall 
pray  for  thee." 

"  Here  then  again  is  thy  discharge,  beloved  Attilius," 
said  Regulus,  lifting  up  the  order  and  then  drawing 
from  out  of  his  tunic  a  full  purse,  "  and  here  is  some- 
what for  thy  present  needs,"  he  added.  "  Thou  wilt 
not  forget  the  old  man  alone,  in  thy  joy  together?  The 
gods  or  thine  own  God  have  you  both  in  keeping. 
Again — farewell." 

He  turned  away  and  without  another  word  disap- 
peared through  the  doorway,  not  even  seeing  Paulus' 
hand  uplifted  in  blessing,  or  Gwenna's  outstretched 
arms.  Nor  did  the  centurion  imagine  that  the  eyes 


398          THE  FETTERS  OF  FREEDOM 

of  Attilius  were  moist  with  what,  had  he  not  been  a 
Roman,  might  have  been  called  tears. 

And  so  he  went  out  of  their  lives.  So,  too,  later 
he  gave  up  his  own  life.  He  had  deceived  the  tribune. 
Nothing  had  been  saved  from  the  wreck  of  the  fortunes 
of  Attilius.  It  was  by  the  complete  sacrifice  of  all 
that  he  had  amassed  in  his  long  years  of  service  that 
Regulus  had  purchased  the  discharge  of  his  friend.  At 
the  end  of  his  life  he  found  himself  penniless,  alone 
in  the  city  that  he  had  loved.  He  had  nothing  to 
expect  from  Nero,  or  the  State  that  he  had  served, 
or  the  gods  to  whom  he  had  sacrificed.  He  had  been 
away  too  long  to  have  acquired  friends  to  whom  in  his 
extremity  he  could  turn.  The  men  sent  by  Tigellinus 
to  take  possession  of  his  goods  found  him  on  the  floor 
of  his  atrium  before  his  lares  and  penates,  the  sword 
which  he  had  drawn  so  often  in  the  battles  of  the 
Empire  buried  in  his  own  brave  heart.  He  had  nothing 
to  live  for,  nothing  to  hope  for.  Those  whom  he  had 
loved  and  served  were  gone.  Death  alone  was  his  only 
portion.  And  yet  his  death  was  not  unworthy  of  his 
Roman  name  and  fame.  Certainly  he  had  loved  much, 
and  in  that  love  he  had  surrendered  all  things  without 
repining.  Ave  atque  vale!  Hail  and  farewell,  soldier, 
as  thou  passest  on. 

Blissfully  unconscious  of  this,  Attilius  and  Gwenna 
stood  in  the  after  part  of  the  little  ship  drifting  down 
the  Tiber  with  the  current  from  Ostia  and  looked  back 
upon  the  myriad  lights  of  the  city  gleaming  in  the 
deepening  twilight.  Near  by  Paulus  leaned  against  the 
bulwarks  and  stared  at  the  outlines  of  the  great  build- 


CAIUS  ET  CAIA— VALE  399 

ings  grouped  on  the  seven  hills  fading  fast  away  in 
the  darkness. 

There  was  a  sadness  in  the  hearts  of  the  two  men. 
Paulus  because  he  thought  he  had  accomplished  so 
little,  Attilius  because  he  was  an  exile  from  his  native 
land.  Attilius  was  to  see  Rome  no  more.  Paulus  was 
to  come  back  again  to  testify  with  his  life  to  the  truth 
that  was  in  him — and  before  Nero  a  second  time !  The 
woman  alone  was  happy,  and  yet  after  a  while  some- 
thing of  the  sadness  in  the  hearts  of  the  two  men  she 
loved  was  communicated  to  her. 

From  where  she  nestled  in  Attilius'  arms  she  reached 
out  her  hand  toward  Paulus,  speaking  not,  yet  ten- 
derly sympathetic,  in  a  way  not  to  be  misunderstood. 
The  old  man  took  the  woman's  hand  and  patted  it 
softly.  Presently  he  raised  his  hands  over  their  heads 
and  over  the  city  beyond,  his  lips  murmuring.  He 
made  the  sign  of  the  cross  with  his  hand  and  turned 
away. 

In  the  growing  darkness  Gwenna  lifted  her  head  and 
whispered  something  in  her  husband's  ear.  They  were 
Christians,  both,  but  it  was  an  ancient  heathen  phrase, 
a  marriage  vow,  hallowed  by  years  of  usage  in  Rome, 
which  she  had  somehow  learned,  that  Attilius  heard: 

"  Where  thou,  Cams,  art,''  she  said  in  glorious  devo- 
tion and  submission,  "  there  will  I,  Caia,  be!  " 


THE    END 


A     000046363 


